Turkish president arrives in Azerbaijan's capital

BAKU, Azerbaijan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived early Tuesday in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku to hold official talks with President Ilham Aliyev.

Erdogan was welcomed at Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport by Deputy Prime Minister Yaqub Eyyubov, Deputy Foreign Minister Halef Halefov, Azerbaijan's Ambassador to Turkey Hazar Ibrahim and Turkey's Ambassador to Azerbaijan Cahit Bagci.

He was accompanied by first lady Emine Erdogan, National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, Communications Director Fahrettin Altun, Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin, Justice and Development (AK) Party Spokesperson Omer Celik and the head of the Turkish delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Osman Askin Bak.

As part of his official visit, Erdogan will travel to the city of Shusha in Nagorno-Karabakh, which was liberated from Armenian occupation in November 2020 by the Azerbaijani army after 28 years.

He will be welcomed with an official ceremony in Shusha by President Aliyev.

After a private meeting, Erdogan and Aliyev will attend a signing ceremony, hold a joint press conference and take a tour of the city.