BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 18. A public debate
over school uniform requirements in Azerbaijan has brought broader
questions about the relationship between Baku and Ankara into
focus, including the limits of political solidarity, respect for
national sovereignty and the right of each country to pursue its
own foreign policy.
The discussion, sparked by criticism from several Turkish
political figures of restrictions affecting students who wear the
hijab, has extended beyond education and religious practice.
Azerbaijani officials and politicians have rejected attempts to
question the country's domestic policy decisions or link them to
its relations with Israel, emphasizing that close strategic ties do
not require the two countries to adopt identical positions on every
issue.
The episode comes against the backdrop of a relationship that
remains among the closest in the region, underpinned by political,
economic, military and cultural cooperation.
Why are Azerbaijan and Türkiye so closely
connected?
Azerbaijan and Türkiye have developed a strategic partnership
based on historical, linguistic and cultural ties, as well as
shared economic and security interests. Türkiye recognized
Azerbaijan's independence in 1991, and cooperation between the two
countries has expanded considerably over the past three
decades.
Energy and transport are central pillars of the relationship.
The two countries cooperate on projects that connect energy
resources and markets across the South Caucasus and beyond, while
transport links contribute to the development of regional trade and
transit routes.
Defense and security cooperation have also become increasingly
important. Following the Second Karabakh War in 2020, cooperation
gained additional momentum, and the signing of the Shusha
Declaration in June 2021 formalized the allied relationship between
the two states.
Both countries also cooperate within the Organization of Turkic
States and maintain extensive political and humanitarian
contacts.
The phrase "One nation, two states" is frequently used to
describe the depth of their ties. However, the relationship between
sovereign states also rests on the recognition that each country
has its own constitutional framework, domestic priorities and
foreign policy interests.
It is this distinction between close partnership and independent
decision-making that has become particularly relevant in the
current debate.
What triggered the public disagreement?
The immediate issue concerns school uniform requirements and the
secular character of public education in Azerbaijan.
In July 2026, amendments to Azerbaijan's Law on General
Education were signed into law. On September 21, the Cabinet of
Ministers adopted Resolution No. 309, updating school uniform
requirements and emphasizing uniformity and consistency with the
secular character of general education. On October 6, similar
requirements were extended to teachers in public schools.
The regulations do not explicitly name the hijab. However, the
headscarf is not included in the prescribed school uniform.
Azerbaijan's Constitution defines the country as a secular state
and establishes the secular character of state education.
Azerbaijani authorities and supporters of the regulations have
presented the requirements within this constitutional framework,
while critics have questioned their effect on students who wear
religious clothing.
On October 12, Turkish presidential adviser Oktay Saral
criticized the restrictions in a post on X, arguing that excluding
girls who wear the hijab from education was unacceptable and should
be corrected. Several representatives of Türkiye's ruling Justice
and Development Party (AKP) also voiced criticism.
The response from Azerbaijan followed on October 13. The ruling
New Azerbaijan Party (YAP) criticized the Turkish statements,
describing them as irresponsible and emphasizing that the principle
of "One nation, two states" should not be interpreted as a right to
impose political or ideological positions on the other country.
The Azerbaijani-Turkish interparliamentary working group in
Azerbaijan's Milli Majlis also expressed concern over the
statements. It defended Azerbaijan's right to determine its
domestic policy independently, in accordance with its Constitution
and national interests, and rejected the characterization of the
school rules as targeting a particular religion.
The disagreement thus developed from a debate over education
policy into a wider discussion about the boundaries of public
criticism between strategic partners.
Why have Azerbaijan's relations with Israel entered the
debate?
A separate dimension of the discussion concerns attempts to
connect Azerbaijan's school regulations with its relations with
Israel. Azerbaijani representatives have rejected this linkage,
maintaining that domestic education policy and the country's choice
of international partners are distinct matters.
The broader regional context helps explain why the issue has
attracted attention.
Türkiye's relations with Israel have been in deep crisis since
the war in Gaza began in 2023. Ankara recalled its ambassador from
Israel and announced a halt to direct trade, while the Israeli
Embassy in Türkiye remains closed.
Nevertheless, diplomatic channels have not disappeared entirely.
Israeli diplomat Joel Lion presented his credentials to Türkiye's
Ministry of Foreign Affairs on September 9, 2026, and began serving
as chargé d'affaires.
The continued existence of a diplomatic channel illustrates that
even amid serious political disagreements, states may retain
mechanisms for communication.
Kazakhstan provides another relevant example. A close partner of
both Azerbaijan and Türkiye, Kazakhstan has continued to develop
its own relationship with Israel.
On April 27, 2026, Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited Astana
and met Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Their talks
included political dialogue and economic cooperation. The two
leaders met again on October 15 on the sidelines of the seventh
summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building
Measures in Asia (CICA) in Baku. According to the Kazakh
presidential press service, they discussed expanding cooperation,
particularly in trade, economic relations and investment.
These examples highlight the diversity of foreign policy
approaches within the broader Turkic world. Countries with close
political, cultural and economic ties can maintain different
relationships with Israel while continuing to cooperate with one
another.
Azerbaijan's relations with Israel should therefore be
considered in the context of Baku's own national interests,
security considerations and economic priorities. Those ties
constitute a separate dimension of Azerbaijani foreign policy and
do not, in themselves, negate the strategic partnership with
Türkiye.
Equally, Türkiye's own approach to Israel demonstrates that
relations with another state can involve both serious political
disagreements and the continued use of diplomatic channels. Such
arrangements do not necessarily determine how a third country
should conduct its foreign policy.
The central question is not whether Azerbaijan and Türkiye must
adopt identical positions on Israel, but whether their strategic
partnership can accommodate different national priorities while
preserving mutual respect.
How have the two sides responded?
Following the public exchanges, officials on both sides
emphasized the importance of maintaining the strategic relationship
and addressing differences through direct communication.
On October 15, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev received
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Baku on the sidelines of
the CICA summit. Fidan also met Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun
Bayramov. The discussions covered developments in bilateral
relations.
Fidan stressed the strategic nature of the relationship, saying
it stood above any single issue, and indicated that differences
should be addressed directly rather than through public exchanges
on social media.
Turkish officials subsequently reiterated that Türkiye did not
intend to interfere in Azerbaijan's internal affairs.
Also, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has congratulated
Azerbaijan on the Day of Restoration of Independence on October
18.
“On behalf of my country and my people, I sincerely congratulate
our friendly and brotherly Azerbaijan on the Day of Restoration of
Independence. I extend my greetings to my brother, Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev, and to my brothers - Azerbaijani turks,
with whom we have always stood together through sorrow and joy,” he
wrote on X.
This shows that taken together, the public statements,
diplomatic contacts and separate legal developments demonstrate the
sensitivity of the debate. They also underline the importance of
distinguishing individual political positions from the official
policies of either state.
What does the dispute reveal about the
relationship?
The relationship between Azerbaijan and Türkiye is built on
substantial shared interests, from energy security and transport
connectivity to defense cooperation and regional diplomacy. These
foundations are considerably broader than any single public
disagreement.
At the same time, the current debate shows that cultural
affinity and strategic alignment do not eliminate differences over
domestic governance, secularism or relations with third countries.
Nor do they mean that statements by individual AKP politicians
necessarily represent the position of an entire state.
Ultimately, the principle of "One nation, two states" is most
sustainable when understood as a commitment to cooperation,
solidarity and mutual respect, rather than an expectation that both
countries must make identical choices on every political
question.
