Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia sign Tbilisi statement

ANKARA/TBILISI, Georgia

The foreign ministers of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia assessed progress made in trilateral cooperation and discussed recent regional and global developments in the Georgian capital Tbilisi on Monday.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, and his Azerbaijani and Georgian counterparts Elmar Mammadyarov and David Zalkaliani attended the eighth Trilateral Meeting of Foreign Ministers between the three countries.

Signing a joint declaration -- the Tbilisi Statement -- and a trilateral sectoral cooperation action plan, Cavusoglu said Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia enjoyed excellent relation, cooperation and solidarity that set a good example for other countries in the region.

"We believe that such mechanisms provide an effective platform to discuss bilateral and regional issues. Our mechanisms of cooperation lay the ground for building sustainable peace, stability, and prosperity in our region," Cavusoglu said.

He underlined that the trilateral sectoral cooperation action plan would develop the three countries' collaboration through practical cooperation areas and concrete projects, which would be implemented in the areas such as transport, trade, tourism, agriculture, education, environment and culture.

Cavusoglu also said that the countries discussed the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline Project (TANAP) that included the South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP) and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP).

"These projects ensure energy security and resource diversification of the region and Europe," he said.

Cavusoglu also stressed that Turkey would always support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Georgia's Zalkaliani said the trilateral summit was an important platform for dialogue and boosting cooperation among the countries.

Zalkaliani said the three countries exemplified a successful partnership by cooperating on the pipeline and railway projects, adding that they had a strategic partnership.

Azerbaijani top diplomat Mammadyarov said the Southern Gas Corridor project, which would extend to Italy, would be completed by the end of next year.

Mammadyarov added that Baku wanted to reach the Balkans in terms of connecting with other countries and pipelines.

He stressed that ongoing issues of territorial integrity in Georgia and Azerbaijan should be resolved through international law.

*Writing by Fahri Aksut