The 10th trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye was held in Istanbul on June 8, with the participation of Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, Georgia’s Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili and Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

Minister Bayramov emphasized in his remarks that amid growing geopolitical tensions, disruptions in supply chains and economic uncertainties, political coordination and cooperation among countries have become increasingly important. In this regard, he described the Azerbaijan-Georgia-Türkiye trilateral cooperation format as an important platform for regional stability, security and development.

He noted that the 10th trilateral meeting of the Foreign Relations Committees of the three countries’ parliaments held in Baku, the seventh Business Forum hosted by Georgia, and the most recent trilateral meeting of the defense ministers in Ankara demonstrate the comprehensive and multifaceted nature of the partnership.

Bayramov stressed that Azerbaijan-Georgia-Türkiye cooperation has become one of the key driving forces behind regional stability and economic development. He highlighted the successful implementation of strategic projects such as the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline, the Southern Gas Corridor and the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway as evidence of the partnership’s results-oriented character.

The minister described energy cooperation as one of the cornerstones of the trilateral partnership. He noted that Azerbaijan currently exports natural gas to 16 countries and said that the extension of the natural gas purchase and sale agreement between Azerbaijan and Georgia, as well as the agreement reached between SOCAR and BOTAŞ on gas supplies from the second phase of the Absheron field, would make a significant contribution to strengthening energy security.

Touching upon transport and connectivity, Bayramov underlined the important role of the three countries in developing the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (Middle Corridor). He noted that the completion of the modernization of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and the resumption of Baku-Tbilisi-Baku passenger train services would further enhance regional mobility. He also stressed that the implementation of the TRIPP project and ensuring uninterrupted connectivity between mainland Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic are important elements of regional cooperation and confidence-building.

The minister pointed to significant potential for expanding cooperation in information and communication technologies, high technologies, agriculture, water resource management and tourism. He also emphasized the need for closer coordination in addressing challenges such as security threats, terrorism, transnational organized crime, cyber threats and climate change.

Bayramov reaffirmed Azerbaijan’s support for Türkiye as it prepares to host the 31st session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31).

He also stated that Azerbaijan remains committed to further deepening its trilateral partnership with Türkiye and Georgia and to continuing cooperation for the sustainable development, security and prosperity of the region.

The minister also touched upon the reconciliation process with Armenia, noting that Azerbaijan’s peacebuilding initiatives and confidence-building measures have made a significant contribution to advancing the normalization agenda. At the same time, he stressed the importance of resolving the remaining outstanding issues that continue to hinder full normalization in order to transform the current opportunity into lasting peace.

Bayramov further noted that ongoing tensions in the Middle East are having a negative impact on regional and global security, emphasizing the importance of resolving conflicts through dialogue and diplomatic means in accordance with the norms and principles of international law.

The ministers discussed future prospects for trilateral cooperation as well as other regional security issues.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the ministers signed the Istanbul Declaration outlining the outcomes of the trilateral talks.

The ministers then delivered statements at a joint press conference and answered questions from the media.