The third meeting of the South Caucasus Regional Cooperation Platform (3+3) is underway in Istanbul, Türkiye.

Foreign ministers of Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Russia, Armenia and Iran – Hakan Fidan, Jeyhun Bayramov, Sergey Lavrov, Ararat Mirzoyan and Abbas Arakchi – are participating in the meeting.

Speaking to the press before the event, Hakan Fidan said that the South Caucasus Regional Cooperation Platform, which was established shortly after the Second Karabakh War —in the weeks when the tripartite Declaration was signed — helps to resolve issues that are essential to the region.

Fidan then added: "We believe that the problems of the region are best understood and resolved by the states of that region. In line with this view, we are considering adopting a joint statement as a result of our meeting.”

The meeting will focus on exploring measures to replace conflict with stability and foster prosperity in the region. Discussions will center on concrete cooperation projects aimed at strengthening regional connectivity, as well as an exchange of views on current regional and international issues.

A press statement will be issued following the closed-door meeting.

Following the meeting, Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will receive the meeting participants. Hakan Fidan is expected to hold bilateral meetings with his colleagues.