Turkish Parliament extends troop mandate for Azerbaijan
Turkish Parliament extended troop mandate for Azerbaijan late Wednesday.
Ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and its partner in People’s Alliance, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and Good Party (IP) voted in favor.
Meanwhile, pro-PKK Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) voted against the troop mandate.
The mandate on sending troops to Azerbaijan had been accepted on Nov. 17, 2020.
The Assembly granted permission for a period of one year to send the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) to foreign countries to fulfill the commitments arising from the provisions of the Strategic Partnership and Mutual Assistance Agreement between Turkey and Azerbaijan, to establish a ceasefire, to prevent violations, to ensure peace and stability in the region, and to carry out the duties of the Joint Center.
Turkey threw its support behind Azerbaijan, whose Nagorno-Karabakh region had remained under illegal Armenian occupation for nearly three decades before finally being liberated last November.
During a 44-day conflict last year, which ended in a truce on Nov. 10, 2020, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and nearly 300 settlements and villages in Nagorno-Karabakh from Armenia’s illegal occupation.
On Nov. 10, the two countries signed a Russia-brokered deal to end fighting and work toward a comprehensive solution.
