Azerbaijan, Pakistan and Turkey relations are based on perceptive linkages

Everybody who has an interest in Foreign Affairs in Eastern Europe is discussing Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Pakistan joint military drills in Baku. Perception is that “Three Brothers – 2021” exercises are to improve military cooperation but I consider it differently.

Azerbaijan-Pakistan-Turkey relationships are seen with historic perspectives and military relationships but do only historical perspectives can transfer good feelings to the young generations?

Pakistan has historic linkages with several countries all over the world but do all of them take a bold Diplomatic stance on Kashmir when Pakistan needs it?

Pakistan has military relations with several countries but the support that came from Azerbaijan and Turkey after the Indian unilateral decision of abrogation of its own Constitution on August 5, 2019 is unmatchable and unprecedented.

When many so-called brotherly countries left Pakistan in a situation in OIC over the Kashmir issue, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Malaysia were three countries that kept the Kashmir issue alive in OIC Forum. They stood shoulder to shoulder with Pakistan. One should try to find what is unique in the Azerbaijan-Pakistan and Turkey relationship?

We need to find the strong foundations of Azerbaijan-Pakistan and Turkey relations through the perceptive journey of events, social fabrics, and norms all these three nations possess.

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There are several writers who believe that Azerbaijan always helps Pakistan on the Kashmir issue because Pakistan was co-author of several UNSC resolutions on Nagorno-Karabakh and stands with Azerbaijan on this, particularly diplomatic matters. Since Nagorno-Karabakh is resolved and Baku may not need the support of any country on this issue after winning a historic war then why does Baku even now stand so strongly with Pakistan on Kashmir cause? The world saw that Baku stood on the Kashmir issue again on Kashmir Solidarity Day by illuminating the iconic Heydar Aliyev Centre in Baku with the Pakistani flag on February 5, 2021. This was a historic event that must be documented with a new vision in the book of Azerbaijan- Pakistan bilateral relations.

Let me explain what Perceptive linkages three countries have. Their armies, their youth, and their people have gone through the impact of the “War on Terror” during the last 20 years at their doorsteps. Turkey was the victim of the Syrian crisis, Pakistan was of the Afghan crisis and Azerbaijan was of Armenian aggression. They understand that enhancing and consolidating relations among moderate Muslim countries is the need of the day. Since all three countries have past friendly and cordial relations, therefore they are transferring it to Perceptive relations. Perception is based on old experiences and it is not only the passive receipt of old experiences rather it is also shaped by the recipient’s (subject) learning, memory, expectation, and attention. The process that follows connects a person’s (Subject) concepts and expectations (or knowledge), restorative and selective mechanisms (such as attention) that influence perception. In simple words, expectations for good support and brotherly relations are the driving force for the Azerbaijan-Pakistan and Turkey relationship, and this core point—Expectation for respectable support— is the focal point that needs to be enhanced in the future.

The human cognitive system learns through embodied experiences; mere observation cannot formulate a tangible experience. We expect as much as our cognitive functions (reasoning, judging, decision making, evaluation) allow us. And all these cognitive functions work solely based on prior schemas. What decision in the past lead to what circumstances is a key factor in expectations? The human mind is trained to expect via perception. All three countries stand with each other’s without any hidden agenda, with no bad intentions, and they just want a safe, sovereign, prosperous future for their youth that has gone through “War on Terror” ---a war that made the world almost impossible to live for Muslim youth.

Their unique and cherishable relationship, difficult to grasp in the "give and take" connotation, but giving and taking is not always bartering, sometimes is an investment, emotional and psychological investment that pave way for people-to-people relationships.

As we know that expectations are based on cordial mutual relationships and human relationship needs frequent physical contact, therefore I suggest that inexpensive and direct travel linkage between Azerbaijan and Pakistan must be established before the delay and experts exchange programs, student-exchange programs, transfer of knowledge programs must be enhanced among three countries. I suggest that the youth of all three countries should meet and exchange their experience, knowledge, and skills and these desires need proper platforms, government support, diplomatic encouragement, and financial resources.

I believe that Diplomatic Relations can only be sustained when they are backed by Economic interests and bilateral trade is a nucleus power in the 21st century for Diplomatic Relationships. Therefore, traders and businessmen must work closely to enhance bilateral trade between Azerbaijan and Pakistan because the level of trade is not promising (just around US$ 16-17 million annually according to 2019-2020 figures). Yes. Turkey and Pakistan have good enough trade but Turkish companies should be encouraged to invest in Pakistan by forgetting some bad experiences of the past.

The writer is a Prague-based Foreign Affairs expert writing for national and international media outlets. She is a Ph.D. Scholar of semiotics and Philosophy of Communication at Charles University Prague. She can be reached at her: Twitter @ShaziaAnwerCh  Email: shaziaanwer@yahoo.com