Azerbaijani, Turkish, Pakistani FMs hold first trilateral meeting in Baku

The first trilateral meeting of the Azerbaijani, Turkish and Pakistani foreign ministers Elmar Mammadyarov, Mevlut Cavusoglu and Khawaja Mohammad Asif was held in Baku.

The ministers expressed their satisfaction with the existing bilateral cooperation among their countries based on the strategic partnership, mutual respect and trust.

They signed the Baku declaration, which emphasizes significant and strategic role of Azerbaijan, Pakistan and Turkey in their respective regions and bearing in mind the historical ties among the three countries, stressed the existence of common basis and enormous potential for mutually beneficial cooperation, and expressed their strong interest in developing trilateral partnership for advancing stability, security and prosperity in the region.

The sides reconfirmed their mutual respect and strong support for independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of international borders of states, and stressed that their territories shall not be used for activities against each other.

They deplored continuation of the conflicts in their respective regions, condemned the sufferings of innocent civilians and use of force against territorial integrity, and stressed that these conflicts undermine peace, stability and economic development and demand peaceful resolutions based on the above mentioned principles of international law and the relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.

The top diplomats also underlined the firm determination of their states to explore the ways to develop trilateral cooperation particularly in the areas that would ensure prosperity for the people of the three countries through economic growth and sustainable development.

They decided to intensify all efforts to improve their economic and commercial cooperation so as to meet actual potentials to promote investments and trade; and to further strengthen cooperation in the field of energy, transport, customs, agriculture, telecommunications, industry, environment, education, science, culture, tourism, sports and other areas through joint projects and programs.

The document further emphasizes the importance of trilateral energy dialogue to enhance energy supply security, explore ways of cooperation in renewable energy and energy efficiency and encourage private sector investments and trade among three countries in the field of energy.

Expressing confidence that large-scale transport projects of strategic importance will favor the economic development of the three countries and facilitate competitive transportation between Asia and Europe, they highlighted the importance of trilateral cooperation to enhance rail, road and air connectivity.

The declaration underscores the importance of the defense and security spheres, and expressed their readiness to develop active cooperation in these fields.

The foreign ministers reiterated their firm commitment to strengthen their cooperation on the basis of the relevant international instruments in the fight against terrorism, violent extremism and separatism in all their forms and manifestations, transnational organized crime, illicit production and trafficking of drugs, narcotics and their precursors; illicit trade in arms; trafficking in human beings; migrant smuggling and irregular migration; crimes against cultural and historical heritage; money laundering; cybercrime; and other transnational security threats.

They also underscored the importance of cooperation in the social and humanitarian spheres, including culture, education, strengthening of health systems and health tourism, youth exchange, tourism, sports, and other relevant areas which will further expand people-to-people contacts between their countries and expressed their readiness to initiate and promote joint projects and events in these spheres.

The top diplomats of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Pakistan underlined their interest and readiness to continue close consultations among the three brotherly countries on regional and global issues of common interest, as well as to enhance cooperation within the international organizations.

Highlighting the ongoing regional processes aimed at developing regional consensus for peace, stability and development, the sides welcomed the progress achieved so far in the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process and reiterated their strong commitment to the Process as a regional political dialogue platform and the development of confidence building measures within its framework, and reaffirmed support for an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan.

The foreign ministers agreed to hold their next trilateral meeting in Islamabad on mutually agreed dates in 2018.