Turkey initiated an extraordinary meeting of the intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation with Azerbaijan. Will Baku also “break” with Israel?
– 2024-05-05 22:34:45
Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Ali Asadov will leave for Ankara on May 8. According to the official report, he will participate in the Turkish-Azerbaijani business forum, which is convened within the framework of the 21st extraordinary session of the intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation between Turkey and Azerbaijan. Yesterday, the Ministry of Trade of Turkey officially announced the complete cessation of trade with Israel. That decision cannot but affect Israel-Azerbaijan relations.
Previously, we asked whether the complete suspension of Israel-Turkey trade could affect the export of Azerbaijani oil to Israel. It is being implemented, according to reports, with the mediation of Turkey. Oil is transported by pipeline from Baku to the Turkish port of Ceyhan, stored, and then delivered to Israeli ports by Turkish tankers. In a speech at last year’s conference of the Organization of Islamic Solidarity, Iranian President Raisi strongly criticized the member countries that “continue to supply fuel to the Zionist regime.”
Has Baku received a signal from Ankara that Turkey can block the supply of Azerbaijani oil from Ceyhan to Israel or at least introduce temporary restrictions? The “emergency” name of the meeting of the Turkey-Azerbaijan intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation suggests that the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan, Ankara, is acting in “emergency mode”. And it seems that it is a visit of much more political than trade-economic importance.
In Turkey, as in Azerbaijan, the direct head of the executive power is the president. Erdogan himself took the decision to completely suspend trade with Israel. Moreover, after “postponing” the visit to the United States and after probably unsuccessful negotiations between Foreign Minister Fidan and the US Secretary of State. It is noteworthy that after applying the “embargo” to Israel, Erdogan did not have any contact with Aliyev. Anyway, there is no official information about it. But he stated that Turkey is not confined within its borders, its influence extends from the north of Africa to Azerbaijan.
How serious is the decision to suspend trade with Israel? The Minister of Trade of Turkey said that it will last until a stable cease-fire is reached in Gaza and humanitarian aid routes are opened. Israel’s foreign minister countered that the Jewish state is already looking for alternatives to Turkey. Experts believe that Erdogan’s problem is not with Israel in general, but with Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Will Erdogan try to involve Aliyev in the “trade war” against Netanyahu? Is the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan going to Ankara to learn “first-hand” about the real intentions of Turkey, or was he “summoned to receive instructions?” In any case, the calling of an extraordinary session of the intergovernmental commission seems to be the initiative of the Turkish side and will be dedicated to the issue of “setting political clocks” between Turkey and Azerbaijan.
