Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Pakistan affirm trilateral cooperation

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - Türkiye, Azerbaijan and Pakistan reaffirmed their commitment to trilateral cooperation in a joint statement Thursday following a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Astana, Kazakhstan.

The leaders of the three countries met to discuss bilateral relations and important regional issues such as Gaza, Cyprus, Kashmir and Islamophobia, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

They underscored the strategic importance of their trilateral partnership to promote the prosperity of the peoples of the three countries and advance regional peace and stability.

The leaders also emphasized the importance of dialogue and respect for sovereignty in conflict resolution, the statement said.

They further reaffirmed their joint efforts to combat terrorism and other transnational threats.

The statement said that subsequent meetings under this trilateral framework will be held in each of the three countries, demonstrating their continued commitment to strengthening cooperation and addressing common challenges.

It was the inaugural trilateral meeting among the leaders of the three nations.

The top diplomats of the three nations have been meeting in this format since 2017.

A similar format among the speakers of their parliaments also exists who meet regularly.