Azerbaijan: PonteSud – Charissa Swanepoel
With growing influence after its recapture of Nagorno-Karabakh from Armenian separatists in 2023, Azerbaijan is using its close ties with Israel and Turkey to defuse tensions between the regional military heavyweights in Syria.
Azerbaijan’s top foreign policy adviser, Hikmet Hajiyev, confirmed Baku has hosted more than three rounds of talks between Turkey and Israel, who are both operating in Syria to reduce what they see as security threats.
The overthrow of Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad by Islamist-led HTS rebels, with Turkey’s blessing, sparked security concerns in Israel.
It has since staged hundreds of strikes deep inside Syria, the latest on Friday, saying it will not tolerate an Islamist militant presence in southern Syrian, near its border.
Israel has troops deployed in the south of the country in the border region, while Turkey’s military is operating in the north of the country. The two countries have reportedly agreed to establish a hotline – via Azerbaijani mediation – to prevent their forces from clashing.
Israel has accused Turkey of trying to turn Syria into a Turkish protectorate, and Ankara has slammed Israeli military activity in the country following the fall of the Assad regime.
As a close ally and strategic partner of Turkey, Azerbaijan has consistently aligned itself with Ankara’s positions on key international matters, including the Syrian issue.
But it also enjoys good relations with Israel, which is very reliant on Azerbaijani oil, and is a major arms supplier to Baku.
And now Baku, which has established contacts with Syria’s new rulers, is pushing quiet diplomacy by facilitating technical talks between Turkey and Israel.
“We are successful if the two parties agree on a common model that respects each other’s concerns,” Farid Shafiyev, chairman of the Baku-based Center for Analysis of International Relations, told AFP.
Turkey wants to control northern Syria but also to “have a stronger presence” around the Palmyra and T4 airbases to ensure security around Damascus, he added.
Turkey has suspended trade with Israel over the war. The two countries have recalled their ambassadors, though their mutual embassies remain open and are staffed with diplomats.
