Turkish foreign minister to attend Türkiye-Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan trilateral meeting

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will participate Wednesday in the second trilateral meeting of Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan's ministries of foreign affairs, transport, and trade, which will be held in the capital Ankara.

Türkiye will be represented at the meeting by Fidan, Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Bolat, and Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, according to diplomatic sources.

The meeting agenda will cover foreign policy issues, strengthening regional cooperation in trade, economy, and investment, developing regional transportation networks, and enhancing collaboration in the transport and communications sectors.

At the end of the trilateral meeting, the "Ankara Declaration" is expected to be signed, along with an Action Plan outlining a concrete roadmap for the three countries to follow in the future.

TRILATERAL MEETING

The first meeting in this format was held on Aug. 2, 2022, in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine War caused disruptions in supply chains. In response to these developments, Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan established this trilateral platform to discuss projects aimed at strengthening economic, transportation, and energy connectivity among countries located along the historical Silk Road.

The meeting addresses topics such as harmonizing customs regulations and legislation, promoting the use of electronic services, and gradually removing trade barriers based on principle of mutual benefit.

The meeting is also seen as a concrete demonstration of Türkiye's close solidarity and cooperation with the countries of the Turkic World.