UPDATE - Turkish president discusses ties, regional matters with Georgian, African leaders

UPDATES HEADLINE, DECK, ADDS CALLS WITH NIGERIA AND DIJBOUTI LEADERS, REVISES THROUGHOUT

By Zafer Fatih Beyaz

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday held separate phone calls with the presidents of Georgia, Senegal, Djibouti, and Nigeria, discussing regional issues and bilateral ties with each.

In his call with his Georgian counterpart Salome Zourabichvili, Erdogan told him that the two countries could work on joint energy and transportation projects, taking advantage of new opportunities that emerged in the region, said Turkey's Directorate of Communications.

In later phone calls, Erdogan also spoke to Senegalese President Macky Sall, Dijbouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh, and President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria.

He also expressed to all four leaders his thanks for their countries' solidarity with Turkey in its battle against forest fires burning in the country's southern regions, the directorate added.