3+3 platform meeting focuses on lasting peace in South Caucasus
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (Center) attends the 3 3 South Caucasus Regional Cooperation Platform with foreign ministers of Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia and Armenia in Istanbul. (Photo by Foreign Ministery Press Service via AFP)


The third Meeting of the 3+3 South Caucasus Regional Cooperation Platform, hosted by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, focused on the establishment of lasting peace and stability, as well as regional developments in the South Caucasus, a statement said Friday.

The platform primarily aims to boost multilateral cooperation in the region, based on mutual benefit.

The foreign ministers who attended the meeting adopted a joint declaration at the end of the summit.

"The Joint Declaration emphasized the contributions of regional economic cooperation to confidence building between countries, as well as to prosperity and stability. It was agreed to explore cooperation opportunities in the fields of transport, communication, trade, energy, investment, and connectivity," the statement said.

The declaration also highlighted the importance of promoting peace and stability in the region through dialogue.

"Türkiye will continue to collaborate with the countries of the region to promote lasting peace and strengthen cooperation in the South Caucasus," the statement said.

Meanwhile, Fidan also met with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Istanbul on Friday.

The two ministers also discussed preparations for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's upcoming visit to Kazan, a city in southwestern Russia, for the BRICS Summit.

In addition to his talks with Lavrov, Fidan separately met with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan.

Their discussion focused on bilateral relations, regional developments, and the ongoing normalization process between Türkiye and Armenia, according to the information from two foreign ministries.

The 3+3 platform, which includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, along with neighboring countries Iran, Russia, and Türkiye, aims to foster regional cooperation in the South Caucasus.

Foreign ministers from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Iran, and Russia joined Fidan for the Istanbul meeting.

The first talks in the 3+3 format were held in Moscow in December 2021 at the deputy foreign ministers’ level, also without Georgia's participation.