Allegations that students wearing headscarves are not being admitted to schools in Azerbaijan have come to the fore with differing statements within the AKP. Former Prime Minister and member of the Presidential High Advisory Board Binali Yıldırım joined the debate by emphasizing respect for Azerbaijan's sovereignty and internal affairs.
Yıldırım, who is also the Chairman of the Council of Elders of the Organization of Turkic States, stated in an interview with Azerbaijani journalist Ali Valiyev that attempts by other countries to interfere in Azerbaijan's internal affairs cannot be accepted.
Who has the right to interfere in Azerbaijan's internal affairs? We would absolutely not accept such a thing. We would punish those who attempt or resort to such actions in the most severe manner.
Stating that Azerbaijan is an independent state, Yıldırım said, "Azerbaijan is a separate state. It makes its own decisions. What falls to us is to show the necessary respect for those decisions."
The debate had grown following a statement made on social media by Oktay Saral, one of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's chief advisors. Saral had argued that the right to education for students wearing headscarves was being obstructed in Azerbaijan, stating that this was "unacceptable" and that the Baku administration should "turn back from this mistake."
While Saral's remarks brought discussions regarding Ankara-Baku relations and sovereignty back to the agenda over the alleged practices in Azerbaijan, Yıldırım's statement revealed a different approach within the AKP.
News Source: 12punto
