Recent Türkiye-Azerbaijan-Turkmenistan summit stresses importance of energy cooperation

ANKARA

A joint statement following the first-ever trilateral summit between the leaders of Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan emphasized the importance of developing energy cooperation, particularly in natural gas supply.

Following a trilateral summit between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Turkmen leader Serdar Berdimuhamedov on Wednesday, the three sides voiced support for “joint activities and projects” on natural gas, including “possible investments, development of stable and reliable supply and transit of energy resources.”

In 25 articles, the three countries released a joint statement following the meeting on deepening relations in the western Turkmen city of Awaza, expressing commitments that spanned various principles in interstate relations including on equality of rights, mutual respect, and mutually beneficial cooperation.

The sides stressed the importance and constructive character of regular trilateral cooperation meetings, the statement said, adding that the next such summit would be held in Azerbaijan

They committed to boosting cooperation in international organizations and platforms, including the UN, Organization of Turkic States, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

A “realistic and sustainable settlement on the Cyprus issue based on the sovereign equality and equal international status of the two peoples on the Island,” was another focus of the meeting.

The articles of the statement were as follows

1. The Sides confirmed their mutual respect and firm support to the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, inviolability of the internationally recognized borders of the states of the Sides and reaffirmed that Turkmenistan, the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Türkiye will continue to be guided in their mutual relations by the principles of sovereign equality of states, mutual respect, cooperation and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs and by other applicable norms of international law.

2. The Sides reaffirmed the importance of the mutual efforts undertaken by the three states to ensure peace, security and stability, to establish a climate of trust and mutual understanding at global and regional scale.

3. Turkmenistan and the Republic of Türkiye as being members of the United Nations congratulated the Republic of Azerbaijan on the liberation of its occupied territories and restoration of territorial integrity of the country.

4. The Sides confirmed that they would further enhance cooperation among the three states within the framework of international organizations and platforms, especially the United Nations, the Organization of Turkic States, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Economic Cooperation Organization, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), “Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process” as well as in other international and regional organizations.

5. The Sides expressed appreciation for joining of Turkmenistan in the Organization of Turkic States as an observer state.

6. The Sides, as members of the United Nations, emphasized the need to reach a realistic and sustainable settlement on the Cyprus issue based on the sovereign equality and equal international status of the two peoples on the Island.

7. The Sides welcome the outcomes and the decisions of the Ninth Summit of the Organization of Turkic States held in Samarkand.

8. The Sides emphasized their readiness to support each other’s candidacies, whenever possible, for elective bodies at the United Nations and other international and regional organizations.

9. Taking into consideration the need to ensure regional and international peace and security and to counter existing challenges and threats; and concerned by the rise of racism, xenophobia, hatred against Islam and hate speech throughout the World;

The Sides noted the importance of strengthening cooperation in the fight against terrorism, separatism and extremism in all their forms and manifestations, together with cross border organized crime, illegal trafficking of drugs and arms, as well as human trafficking and irregular migration; stressed the need to work together to jointly fight them; and emphasized their will to continue to support each other on issues of common interest.

10. Considering the issues of trade and economic relations, the Sides reaffirmed the importance of cooperation in this field and the priority of strengthening and enhancing economic partnership among the countries based on the principles of equality of rights, mutual benefit and taking into account of each other’s interests.

11. The Sides expressed a common view on the need to create favorable conditions for the further development of trilateral economic cooperation. In this regard, the Sides welcomed the signing of the Intergovernmental Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation and the Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of Joint Consultative Commission on Customs Cooperation during the Summit.

12. The Sides also stated the need for further developing the legal framework for trilateral economic cooperation.

13. Emphasizing that the increase in mutual investments is one of the most important factors of developing economic cooperation, the Sides will carry out the necessary work to strengthen the legal framework of cooperation in the field of protection and promotion of investments through the preparation of an Agreement on Mutual Promotion and Protection of Investments.

14. The Sides expressing the importance of developing cooperation in the field of energy, stressed the particular importance of cooperation in the field of natural gas supply. To this end, the Sides support joint activities and projects, including possible investments, development of stable and reliable supply and transit of energy resources.

15. The Sides noted with satisfaction the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Further Development of Cooperation in the Field of Energy, which will serve as a solid basis for cooperation in this area.

16. Considering the great potential of the three countries in the field of transport, logistics and transit, the Sides attach particular importance to the development of cooperation in the field of transport.

17. The Sides expressed their support to the activities and projects aimed at enhancing the trade and economic relations and the development of all transport and communication infrastructure which serve the welfare in their regions.

18. With the aim of expanding cooperation in the field of transport and using transit potential of the three countries, the Sides stressed the importance of multimodal transportation carried out along the transport route that passes through Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Türkiye reinforcing the international importance of this corridor.

19. The Sides stressed the importance of the Lapis-Lazuli Transit, Trade and Transport Route, and the Trans-Caspian East-West Middle Corridor in reviving the Great Silk Road along its historical route, which passes through Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Türkiye.

20. The Sides welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on the Further Development of Cooperation in the Field of Transport.

21. The Sides considered further development of cooperation in the field of culture, which is based on common history, language, culture and civilizational affinity of the Turkmen, Azerbaijani and Turkish peoples, and expressed their satisfaction with the signing of the Framework Program on Cooperation in the Fields of Science, Education and Culture for the Years 2023-2025, and the strengthening of cooperation among educational institutions of the three countries.

22. The Sides emphasized the importance of enhancing cooperation in the fields of agriculture, environmental protection and forestry.

23. The Sides expressed their satisfaction with the advancement of their cooperation in order to strengthen the bonds of friendship, brotherhood and kinship between the youth and athletes of the countries.

24. The Presidents of the Republic of Azerbaijan and of the Republic of Türkiye expressed their gratitude to the President of Turkmenistan for his hospitality and warm welcome.

25. The Sides emphasized the importance of regularly holding trilateral meetings and decided to hold the next meeting in the Republic of Azerbaijan.

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