07 March 2026 20:48

On 7 March 2026, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov participated and delivered a speech at the informal meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in Istanbul.

In his speech, Minister Bayramov highlighted that in recent years, the OTS has become a dynamic and effective platform for political dialogue, economic cooperation, and strengthening regional connectivity.

Against the backdrop of rising geopolitical tensions, uncertainty in the international security environment, and disruptions in global supply chains, the importance of strengthening solidarity and coordination within the OTS was mentioned. To this end, the importance of enhancing information exchange, increasing inter-institutional coordination, and forming joint approaches among member states to address shared challenges was emphasized.

Referring to the international and regional security environment, serious concern over recent developments and military escalation in the Middle East was expressed.

It was highlighted that the missile attack targeting the territory of the Republic of Turkey from the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the drone attacks carried out against the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of the Republic of Azerbaijan are dangerous acts of escalation, and such actions were strongly condemned.

It was emphasized that Iran is expected to conduct a comprehensive investigation, hold responsible parties accountable, and take necessary measures to prevent recurrence.

On the Palestine conflict and the situation in Gaza, Azerbaijan’s support for a two-state solution based on international law and relevant UN resolutions was underscored.

Regarding Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization, Minister Bayramov recalled the historic opportunity created after the summit held in Washington on 8 August 2025 to achieve lasting regional peace.

Touching upon the priority areas of cooperation within the framework of the OTS, it was stated that the Azerbaijani chairmanship pays special attention to strengthening the institutional capacity of the Organization. In this context, the significance of the “OTS+” format established at the 12th Summit in Gabala last year was underscored. It was noted that the mechanism in question will create a flexible platform for expanding project-based cooperation between the OTS and non-member countries and international organizations in areas such as transport corridors, logistics, energy security, trade, digital transformation, and sustainable development.

Key upcoming events were mentioned, including hosting the second meeting of OTS Prime Ministers/Vice-Presidents on 2 April 2026.

In addition, the importance of the Antalya Diplomatic Forum to be held on April 17-19 of this year, the Informal Summit of the Heads of State of the TCT, planned to be held in Turkestan, Kazakhstan in May, as well as the anniversary event dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the First Turkological Congress to be held in Baku, was noted for our countries.

Furthermore, it was noted that the UN World Urban Forum (WUF13), to be held in Baku in May of this year, will contribute to the development of international cooperation with the active participation of the TDT member states.

At the end of his speech, Minister Jeyhun Bayramov extended his congratulations to the Turkic world on the approaching holidays of Novruz and Ramadan, wishing peace, prosperity and progress to our brotherly peoples.

The meeting included exchanges on various issues and concluded with the adoption of a Joint Statement by the Ministers on the recent developments in the Middle East.