President Erdogan: Türkiye working towards rapid peace between Azerbaijan, Armenia

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Türkiye is actively working towards a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

“We stand for the swift establishment of a stable and neighbourly atmosphere between the two countries,” President Erdogan told journalists accompanying him at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

The Turkish leader noted that during a meeting in New York, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan expressed hope for Ankara’s contribution to accelerating the peace treaty with Azerbaijan.

“Türkiye is already committed to this. We hope that by resolving issues and eliminating obstacles between Azerbaijan and Armenia, we can embark on a new path,” the president stated.

The president emphasised that Azerbaijan supports the peace agenda.

“We have witnessed a similar approach from Armenia. Türkiye believes that a peaceful atmosphere will serve the interests of all parties, opening up new opportunities for both Baku and Yerevan,” the Turkish leader said.

He expressed confidence that a positive resolution of the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia would also serve as a catalyst for normalising the Türkiye-Armenia relations. 

The Turkish leader further commented on the potential for Ankara to join such organisations as BRICS and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). 

He noted that these platforms present opportunities for Türkiye to strengthen economic cooperation. 

“Türkiye’s membership in such organisations does not imply a withdrawal from NATO,” he assured, adding that dialogue between Ankara and new international organisations would benefit the entire region. 

BRICS is an intergovernmental organization comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates. The group's goal is to promote peace, security, and development, as well as to enhance economic growth through mutual cooperation. It seeks to provide an alternative to the global influence of Western powers.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established in Bangkok, Thailand on August 8, 1967, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined ASEAN on January 7, 1984, followed by Viet Nam on July 28, 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on July 23, 1997, and Cambodia on April 30, 1999, making up ten Member States of ASEAN.

By Naila Huseynova