UPDATE - Turkish president, Azerbaijani premier discuss Gaza, current regional situation

UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS; CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE

By Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov on Tuesday discussed Israel’s attacks on Gaza, peace talks between Baku and Yerevan, as well as the current situation in the region, Türkiye's Communications Directorate said.

Erdogan and Asadov also discussed regional and global developments in a meeting held at the presidential complex in the capital Ankara.

“Expressing the expectation of a positive outcome from the meeting to be held in Almaty on May 10, President Erdogan said the progress achieved in the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan is satisfactory and a peace agreement should be signed as soon as possible, so that the region achieves the stability it longs for,” the communications office said.

Pointing out that Ankara and Baku will continue their “close cooperation” to prevent “unilateral and biased external interventions from turning the region into an area of ​​geopolitical conflict,” Erdogan said Türkiye will continue to support Azerbaijan.

Stressing that Israel seeks to spread the war to the region and that although Hamas accepted the cease-fire, Tel Aviv continues its attacks, President Erdogan said the Organization of Turkic States might engage in further cooperation to deliver humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.

Conveying congratulations to Azerbaijan for being the host of the upcoming COP29 conference, Erdogan expressed Türkiye’s readiness for all sorts of support in terms of preparations.

Asadov also met Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz. Following the meeting, Yilmaz and Asadov co-chaired a meeting of Türkiye-Azerbaijan Joint Economic Commission.​​​​​​​