After the two Turkish invasions in 1974 (July 20 and August 14, 1974 respectively), apart from Turkey itself, the two countries that recognized the occupying regime were Pakistan and Bangladesh.
But they withdrew their recognition in 1983, following UN Security Council Resolution 541. In 2005, the President of Gambia expressed his country’s readiness to recognize the “independence” of the occupied countries (as well as Azerbaijan), but after protests from the Cypriot Government, that intention was abandoned.
Pakistan, however, had direct and extensive cooperation with Turkey in perpetrating the Turkish invasions.
And all this, at the moment when the Greek government is sending its officials to broadcast Pakistanis in Greece!
The Speaker of Pakistan’s National Assembly Raja Pervez Ashraf stated that his country attaches great importance to its relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan and said, “Pakistan will continue to support Turkey’s perspective on the ‘Northern Cyprus’ issue!”
Esref and Azerbaijan National Assembly Speaker Sahiba Gafarova held a press conference after the Second Turkey-Pakistan-Azerbaijan Parliament Speakers’ Tripartite Meeting hosted by the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Mustafa Şentop.
Raja Pervez Eşref said that the meeting discussed increasing cooperation in areas of mutual interest and that they foresee that the three countries will develop cooperation in the fields of peace, security, trade, investment, science, technology, education and of the civilization.
“Pakistan attaches great importance to its relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan. Today’s event is an indication of our shared goals of peace and prosperity. On this occasion, I would like to underline the following. We, as Pakistan, continue to support Azerbaijan in its legitimate cause, the cause of territorial integrity and its struggle against unjust occupation. We will continue to support Turkey’s perspective on “Northern Cyprus”. I would also like to thank Azerbaijan and Turkey for their support for the Kashmir issue under the UN Security Council resolutions.”
Esref said that this meeting will be an important milestone for the relations of the three countries and will ensure the continuation of sincere relations between the three countries.
Noting that the Third Session of Turkey-Pakistan-Azerbaijan Parliament Speakers will be held in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad next year, Esref said, “I would like to see my counterparts from Azerbaijan and Turkey in Pakistan in 2023”!
