CONTEMPORARY EURASIA IX ( 1 )
Turkey ’ s overestimated ability to help Azerbaijan .” 1 The rhetoric of unity and brotherhood sometimes overrode reality due to the lack of understanding of each other ’ s interests and priorities , which led to euphoria . During the second stage , from 1993 to 1997 , pragmatism and national interests became the cornerstones of relations , challenging the romanticized relations between the two countries . 2 During the third phase starting in 1997 , the energy sector became a higher priority and changed the dynamics in the Turkish-Azerbaijani relations , defining the transition from “ romance to pragmatism ”. 3 During this period , bilateral relations reached the strategic partnership level and Turkey became a major consumer of Azerbaijan ’ s oil and gas resources . 4 The relations began to shift because of certain factors since the early 2000s and this period was characterized as the “ end of the honeymoon ” between Azerbaijan and Turkey . Thus , the maxim coined by Heydar Aliyev “ one nation-two states ” has been subject to the pragmatic interests of the two countries . Svante Cornell identifies three main factors for this . Firstly , Turkey concentrated on its domestic affairs during the financial crisis of 2000 – 2001 , which was followed by a political crisis . It focused on the European vector of its foreign policy . 5 Secondly , the Islamic conservative party , the Justice and Development Party ( AKP ) that had little enthusiasm for Turkic brotherhood came into power in November 2002 . Finally , Demirel ’ s presidency ended ( the personal relations between Aliyev and Demirel were considered to be the backbone of their bilateral relations ). Nevertheless , relations were not subject to U-turns and deviations . The main difference was putting more emphasis on economic and energy relations preconditioned by the economic development of Turkey . 6
1
“ Nazrin Mehdiyeva , Power Games in the Caucasus : Azerbaijan ’ s Foreign and Energy Policy towards the West , Russia and the Middle East , ( London : Tauris Academic Studies , 2011 ).”
2
Elnur Soltanov , “ Turkish-Azerbaijani relations : Brothers in arms or brothers in the dark ?”“ In Turkish-Azerbaijani Relations : One nation-two states ? ed . Murad Ismayilov and Norman Graham ”( London and New York : Routledge , Taylor & Francis Group , 2016 ), 21-54 .
3
Fariz Ismailzade , “ Turkey-Azerbaijan : The Honeymoon is Over ,” Turkish Policy Quarterly 4 , no . 4 ( Winter 2005 ).
4
Mehdiyeva , Power Games in the Caucasus , 185 .
5
Svante Cornell , Azerbaijan since Independence ( New York : Routledge , 2011 ), 375 .
6
Soltanov , “ Turkish-Azerbaijani relations ,” 33-34 . 41