President Erdogan welcomes his Azerbaijani counterpart Aliyev in Ankara

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has welcomed Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Ankara to discuss enhancing bilateral relations and furthering cooperation between the two countries.

Aliyev arrived in Türkiye late on Sunday evening for a two-day official visit at the invitation of the Turkish president, marking his first foreign visit since his reelection earlier this month.

"With the end of the occupation in Karabakh, a historic opportunity for lasting peace in our region emerged. This window of opportunity mustn't be closed," President Erdogan told reporters following their meeting.

“It is undoubtedly certain that the signing of a permanent peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia will be a new source of hope for peace, tranquility, and stability in our region and the world,” said Erdogan.

He said that during this process, Türkiye and Azerbaijan have stood “shoulder to shoulder.”

“I believe that Armenia should evaluate this process with a long-term, strategic perspective. We also invite third parties to contribute constructively to the process rather than poisoning it,” he said.

On more recent developments, Erdogan said Türkiye will continue to work to get Azerbaijan's credentials validated at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

“We will continue our support and efforts for Azerbaijan until the decision (not ratifying their credentials) is overturned,” Erdogan said.

Last month, PACE voted to deny validation to the credentials of the Azerbaijani delegation to the body, alleging that it has not fulfilled major commitments under its Council of Europe membership.

Erdogan added that Türkiye will continue stressing that PACE should be a platform for “parliamentary democracy rather than conflict.”

Türkiye-Azerbaijan alliance

During a joint presser following their close-door meeting, Aliyev said that the alliance between Türkiye and Azerbaijan is not only significant for the region but also for Eurasia.

Aliyev said Türkiye has reached new heights with Erdogan’s efforts, and has gotten a say on the global level, adding that Türkiye is also the guarantor of “peace, stability and cooperation” in the southern Caucasus.

Türkiye stood by Azerbaijan, which “solved the historical problem that it could not solve by peaceful means on the battlefield," and his people will not forget Türkiye’s support during this time, said Aliyev, referring to its regaining full sovereignty over its territory of Karabakh after a nearly 30-year occupation.

He added that the anti-terror operation Azerbaijan carried out in the Karabakh region last September “fully affirmed” the country’s sovereignty.

Aliyev also said Azerbaijan and Türkiye share an outlook in all matters and are adding to their strength based on a declaration cementing their alliance.

“The unification of the Turkic world, the coexistence of peoples with common cultures, will increase the strength of ea ch member of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS),” he added.

Top officials meet

Two top Turkish economic officials and Azerbaijan’s economy chief met to discuss economic and trade ties between their countries.

Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat, Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek, and Azerbaijani Economy Minister Mikayil Cabbarov met in the capital Ankara. Cabbarov accompanied Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on his visit to Türkiye.

They held comprehensive consultations on the future of Turkish-Azerbaijani economic ties and discussed various issues of strategic importance, including energy, trade, and investments, Bolat said on X.

"We agreed to further deepen cooperation between the two countries and to implement more joint projects,” he said.

"This meeting will make significant contributions to further strengthening ties between our brotherly countries."

First ladies meet in Ankara

Turkish first lady Emine Erdogan and her Azerbaijani counterpart Mehriban Aliyeva met in the Turkish capital Ankara.

During the meeting, Erdogan congratulated Aliyeva on her husband Ilham Aliyev’s reelection and discussed potential cooperation between her Zero Waste Foundation and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

Furthermore, Erdogan extended her best wishes to Aliyeva for the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) this November, which Azerbaijan will host.

Following the meeting, Erdogan on X said she expressed satisfaction to Aliyeva “on the high turnout in the elections held throughout all Azerbaijani territories for the first time in 30 years following the Karabakh Victory,” referring to Azerbaijan last fall regaining full sovereignty over its Karabakh territory after decades of Armenian occupation.

They also exchanged ideas on potential collaboration for COP29, according to Erdogan.

“I wholeheartedly congratulate Mr. Ilham Aliyev, who has been reelected to the presidency, and his esteemed wife Mehriban Aliyeva, and wish a successful term in office,” she said, saying she hopes the election victory brings blessings to the friendly Azerbaijani people.