Türkiye gathers South Caucasus powers for crucial regional cooperation talks

Türkiye is set to host the third meeting of the South Caucasus Regional Cooperation Platform in Istanbul this Friday, marking a pivotal moment for regional diplomacy. The high-profile event, led by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, will bring together top diplomats from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Iran, and Russia to discuss stability, economic prosperity, and connectivity in the South Caucasus.

Among the attendees will be Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Ceyhun Bayramov, Armenia’s Ararat Mirzoyan, Iran’s Abbas Araghchi, and Russia’s Sergey Lavrov. Minister Fidan is expected to emphasize Türkiye’s role in fostering peace and stability in the region, particularly through promoting regional ownership in resolving conflicts. He is also likely to reaffirm Türkiye’s support for the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as the normalization of Türkiye-Armenia relations.

The gathering aims to strengthen trust through economic cooperation, focusing on key areas such as transportation and regional connectivity. The meeting will also feature bilateral talks between the foreign ministers and a formal reception hosted by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for the visiting officials.

A joint declaration is expected to be adopted at the conclusion of the meeting, underscoring the importance of dialogue in resolving disputes, respecting sovereignty, and enhancing economic collaboration in the region.

The South Caucasus Regional Cooperation Platform, launched after the 2020 Second Karabakh War by President Erdoğan and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, seeks to create a framework for dialogue. Previous meetings took place in Moscow in 2021 and Tehran in 2022 under the “3+3” format, which includes Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Iran, Russia, and Türkiye.

The Istanbul meeting represents the latest effort to turn regional cooperation into concrete actions, with a growing focus on transportation and economic integration.