Azerbaijan voices support for Turkey after failed coup

By Gokhan Yildiz

ISTANBUL

Azerbaijan on Tuesday voiced support for its "solid" business partner Turkey in the aftermath of the deadly July 15 coup attempt.

"The organizers of the horrific crime against the nation's free will could not achieve their goals before Turkish people and government's unity," Azerbaijan's Minister of Economic Development, Shahin Mustafayev, told Anadolu Agency on Tuesday.

With more than $8 billion already invested in Turkey, Mustafayev said Azerbaijan’s investments in the country are expected to reach $20 billion by 2018. He said trade and economic cooperation between Turkey and Azerbaijan were "built on solid".

"We do not accept any step that could do the slightest harm to our relationship, we do not and will not allow it," said Mustafayev, adding that Turkey and Azerbaijan would "always stand by each other".

As growing economies, Turkey and Azerbaijan’s progressive reforms have provided new opportunities to expand economic cooperation between the two countries, Mustafayev also said.

Last week's deadly coup attempt occurred when rogue elements in the Turkish military tried to overthrow the country's democratically elected government.

As part of the probe into the coup attempt, a total of 13,165 suspects have been taken into custody, including 1,485 police officers, more than 8,838 soldiers, 2,101 judicial members, 52 district governors, and 689 civilians.

More than 5,000 suspects out of 13,165 detainees – including 123 generals, 282 high-ranking police officers, and 1,559 judicial members – have been charged with having links to the coup attempt.

Turkey's government has repeatedly said the deadly plot, which martyred at least 246 people and injured more than 2,100 others, was organized by followers of U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen.

Gulen is also accused of a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary, forming what is commonly known as the "parallel state".

*Fatma Bulbul contributed to this story.