Ilham Aliyev sent a letter to Recep Tayyip Erdogan

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev sent a letter to President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

As reported by AZERTAC, the message states:

"Dear Mr. President,

Dear Brother,

With deep respect, I honor the blessed memory of all the martyrs who gave their lives in defense of their Homeland during the prevention of the coup attempt in the Republic of Turkey on July 15, 2016, and with deep sorrow express my condolences to their families and the brotherly Turkish people.

Ten years ago, brotherly Turkey wrote one of the most tragic and at the same time most glorious pages of its modern history. The treacherous coup attempt directed against statehood, constitutional order, national will, and democratic foundations was resolutely thwarted thanks to the unwavering determination, resilience, and boundless devotion of the Turkish people to their Homeland. Thousands of people flooded the squares and stood as a living shield in defense of their state, flag, and national values. This feat will forever remain in the national memory as a true epic of heroism.

Your resolute and far-sighted leadership, the unity of your people around you, and their immediate and unwavering response to your calls became some of the main factors that saved your country from great tragedies on that fateful night. Under your leadership, Turkey emerged from this trial even stronger, once again demonstrating to the entire world its national will and traditions of statehood.

The events of that historic day proved that no insidious schemes, no destructive force can stand against the unity of the people and the state. That is why Democracy and National Unity Day, observed annually on July 15, is a symbol of your people's national solidarity, fighting spirit, traditions of statehood, and will for freedom.

The Azerbaijani people and state, guided by the principle of "one nation, two states," which is our cherished heritage, demonstrated solidarity with brotherly Turkey and, as always, supported it at these decisive moments. All this once again confirmed how strong and unshakable the brotherhood and unity of our peoples are.

I am confident that the strong Azerbaijani-Turkish friendship and brotherhood, passed down from generation to generation, will continue to strengthen, and our strategic alliance will, through our joint efforts, continue to steadily develop and be filled with new substance.

Dear Brother, I wish you good health, happiness, success in your highest state activities, and to the brotherly Republic of Turkey — peace, well-being, and prosperity."