Azerbaijani, Turkish FMs discuss key bilateral and multilateral issues
On January 18, Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with a Turkish delegation led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan.
The one-on-one talks between the ministers were followed by an expanded meeting with both countries' delegations. The discussions focused on current issues in the bilateral and multilateral cooperation agendas between Azerbaijan and Türkiye, as well as opportunities and challenges in light of recent regional developments.
The ministers hailed the broad scope, multi-vector nature, and rich content of Azerbaijan-Türkiye relations, which have reached the level of alliance through the Shusha Declaration, driven by the leadership and vision of the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Türkiye.
The FMs commended the positive dynamics of collaboration between the two countries’ state and government institutions in political, economic, trade, energy, transportation, communication, security, military-defense, humanitarian, and other domains.
They also emphasized the successful cooperation within trilateral frameworks, including Azerbaijan-Türkiye-Georgia, Azerbaijan-Türkiye-Pakistan, Azerbaijan-Türkiye-Uzbekistan, and the quadrilateral Azerbaijan-Türkiye-Georgia-Kazakhstan cooperation.
The ministers described the Azerbaijan-Türkiye partnership as a model of alliance within international and regional organizations such as the UN, OSCE, the Organization of Turkic States, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and D-8.
The meeting also focused on the importance of the Organization of Turkic States, with both countries cooperating to advance joint initiatives, host high-level meetings, and make significant decisions.
Azerbaijani FM Bayramov praised Türkiye’s support for Azerbaijan's full membership in the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation. He also acknowledged Türkiye's active participation at the state level in the COP29 international climate conference held in Baku in November 2024.
The FMs discussed the significant progress in their relations in the fields of economy, trade, and investment, noting that major energy and transportation projects such as Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum, Baku-Tbilisi-Kars, and the Southern Gas Corridor play a leading role in their economic cooperation.
They highlighted the positive dynamics of bilateral trade and mutual investments stemming from these projects, as well as the active involvement of Turkish companies in the large-scale restoration and reconstruction efforts in Azerbaijan's liberated territories.
The ministers agreed to further enhance the economic partnership and expand it with new initiatives. They exchanged views on joint activities in transportation, logistics, communication, and the production, transit, and export of clean energy resources.
The ministers also touched upon the ongoing contacts, exchanges, and cooperation in the humanitarian sphere, including tourism, healthcare, education, science, and culture. They emphasized that the strong bonds between the peoples of both countries—united by a shared nation, language, and religion—have solidified their interstate relations as unshakable and enduring.
Minister Jeyhun Bayramov briefed his counterpart on the current stage of negotiations regarding the peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia. He emphasized that Armenia's continued territorial claims in its constitution, the strong revanchist sentiments within both the government and opposition, and the country's accelerated militarization hinder the progress of the peace process.
The ministers also discussed the situation in Syria, praising Türkiye's positive role and reviewing opportunities for joint participation in reconstruction efforts.
The meeting also included an exchange of views on other bilateral and regional matters of mutual interest.
The FMs concluded the meeting with a press conference, where they answered questions from media representatives.
