<p>Turkey, an important ally of Azerbaijan, praised Baku’s military action against Nagorno-Karabakh on Tuesday, claiming it was a response to “justified” security concerns in the territory where ethnic Armenians have declared independence.<img decoding=”async” class=”alignnone wp-image-191105″ src=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/theindiaprint.com-mumbai-as-the-ganesh-festival-kicks-off-with-fanfare-devotion-and-decorations-are-.jpg” alt=”theindiaprint.com mumbai as the ganesh festival kicks off with fanfare devotion and decorations are” width=”1249″ height=”831″ srcset=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/theindiaprint.com-mumbai-as-the-ganesh-festival-kicks-off-with-fanfare-devotion-and-decorations-are-.jpg 275w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/theindiaprint.com-mumbai-as-the-ganesh-festival-kicks-off-with-fanfare-devotion-and-decorations-are–150×100.jpg 150w” sizes=”(max-width: 1249px) 100vw, 1249px” title=”Azerbaijan is responding to "justified" concerns in Karabakh, according to Turkey 3″></p>
<p>“Azerbaijan has had to take the measures it deems necessary on its sovereign territory as a result of the legitimate and justified concerns it has repeatedly expressed regarding the situation on the ground in the nearly three years since the end of the Second Karabakh War,” the Turkish foreign ministry said.</p>
<p>Ankara said that “long-standing armed attacks and provocations” against Azerbaijani personnel in the area were the reason for the operation.</p>
<p>But it was also said that the long-running problem could only be permanently resolved by direct negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.</p>
<p>The Turkish government released a statement saying, “We think that securing the continuation of the comprehensive negotiating process between Azerbaijan and Armenia…is the only way to maintain peace, security, prosperity, and long-term stability in the region.</p>
<p>Armenia, which is mostly Christian, is one of Turkey’s primary competitors in the area and is historically an ally of majority-Muslim Azerbaijan.</p>
<p>Combat drones and other military supplies from Ankara helped Azerbaijan retake large portions of the separatist territory in a brief but bloody conflict three years ago.</p>
