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By News Centre

President Tayyip Erdoğan emphasised that in these days when polarisation is deepening and blocs are increasing, we are witnessing the international system gradually drifting towards a legitimacy crisis. Erdoğan spoke at the trilateral summit he held with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif in the city of Lachin, Azerbaijan, where he was in attendance on the occasion of Azerbaijan Independence Day. Erdoğan first opened the Lachin International Airport with Aliyev in Azerbaijan. Following the opening, Erdoğan and Aliyev also inspected the Kelbajar-Lachin Highway, bridges, and viaducts, and received information from authorities.

Erdoğan noted the following in his speech:

The crisis that the international system is in at this point is clearly exemplified by Israel’s unceasing atrocities in Palestine and its expansionist policies in the face of these atrocities. We are determined to continue to defend the rights of innocent children and people who are being killed openly in Gaza. I would like to emphasise once again that we will stand against all attempts to disrupt the peace of our region. Our region is saturated with blood and tears. From here, we call on the entire world to increase pressure on the Israeli administration to establish a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and to ensure uninterrupted and urgent humanitarian aid is delivered to Gaza.

Emphasising that they stand behind every step towards transforming their unity with Azerbaijan into a strategic partnership, Erdoğan noted the following:

The developments in our region reveal the importance of solidarity between our countries with every passing day. With the liberation of Azerbaijani lands that have been under occupation for 30 years, we hope that the region will become the focus of stability, prosperity, and development. I believe that the Lachin Airport, which we opened this morning, will make a significant contribution to the development and integration with the world that the region has been longing for for many years.

Our wish is permanent peace

President Erdoğan, recalling that they hosted Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif in Istanbul on Sunday, May 25, made the following assessments: “During our meeting, we reviewed the cooperation processes within the scope of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council. We agreed to further strengthen the deep-rooted historical and human relations between Türkiye and Pakistan. On this occasion, I would like to express our satisfaction that the tension that broke out between Pakistan and India ended with a ceasefire. I once again congratulate our brother Shahbaz and the Pakistani authorities for the calm and prudent attitude they displayed throughout the process. Our wish is for the declared ceasefire to evolve into permanent peace. Türkiye is ready to make every contribution it can on this path.”

President Erdoğan stated that regular trilateral summits and ministerial meetings will be held with the participation of Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Pakistan, and that in this way, the cooperation to be carried out will be institutionalized. Erdoğan stated that in this context, cooperation in the field of defense will be deepened, and that common determination will be maintained against terrorism and cross-border threats, and noted the following: “We will aim to take joint steps in the areas of facilitating trade, encouraging investments, and digital transformation. In the field of transportation, which constitutes a highly strategic dimension of our cooperation, we will contribute to projects such as the Development Path, the Middle Corridor, and the North-South Transport Corridor together.”

Drawing attention to the fact that Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Pakistan are located in a highly strategic region at the intersection of Eurasia, Erdoğan said, “We are experiencing many challenges simultaneously in our regions and beyond, from security threats to economic downturns, energy and food crises. We see the development of our solidarity and joint action capability in the face of these challenges not as a choice, but as a necessity.” Underlining that important issues were exchanged at today’s summit to further advance cooperation between the three countries, Erdoğan said, “(Foreign Ministers) will prepare a strong framework reflecting the common vision of our countries, especially on topics such as trade, investments, transportation, energy, defense industry, and the fight against terrorism, which shape our common agenda.”

President Erdoğan addressed the participants at the event held on the banks of the Hekeri River on the occasion of May 28, Azerbaijan's Independence Day, as part of his contacts in Azerbaijan. Erdoğan said, "It is now time for Garabagh, which was liberated from captivity after 30 years, to write a story of success, peace, and development."

Reminding that they had previously put Fuzuli and Zangilan international airports into service with Azerbaijani President Aliyev, Erdoğan said, “Today, we are once again fortunate enough to open Lachin International Airport. We are establishing strong cooperation with Azerbaijan in every field, from energy to transportation, from defense to trade, from agriculture to education. With the unique contributions of my brother Ilham, we are improving our relations day by day to a level that will set an example not only for the region but also for the entire world.”

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that thanks to the cooperation between Azerbaijan and Türkiye, the energy map of not only the region but also a wide geography has changed and that they have started major projects in the fields of renewable energy production and export. Speaking at the Türkiye-Azerbaijan-Pakistan Trilateral Summit, Aliyev said, “We are proud of each other’s achievements and support each other in difficult times. Azerbaijan, Pakistan, and Türkiye always stand for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and justice.” Referring to the Pakistan-India conflict, Aliyev said, “We have openly declared our solidarity with Pakistan from the very first day during this tense period.”

Prime Minister of Pakistan Shahbaz Sharif said, “Long live Pakistan-Türkiye-Azerbaijan brotherhood and friendship.” Speaking at the Türkiye-Azerbaijan-Pakistan Trilateral Summit, Sharif said that Pakistan, Azerbaijan, and Türkiye are connected by deep historical, cultural, and spiritual ties shaped by shared values and mutual support over centuries. “My dear brothers, recently, we have further strengthened this historical relationship by standing by each other on Garabagh, Kashmir, or TRNC. Our strength lies in our solidarity and mutual respect,” he said.