Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia sign Tbilisi statement

The foreign ministers of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia assessed progress made in trilateral cooperation and discussed recent regional and global developments in the Georgian capital Tbilisi on Dec. 23. 

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, and his Azerbaijani and Georgian counterparts Elmar Mammadyarov and David Zalkaliani attended the eighth Trilateral Meeting of Foreign Ministers between the three countries.

Signing a joint declaration -- the Tbilisi Statement -- and a trilateral sectoral cooperation action plan, Çavuşoğlu said Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia enjoyed excellent relation, cooperation and solidarity that set a good example for other countries in the region.

"We believe that such mechanisms provide an effective platform to discuss bilateral and regional issues. Our mechanisms of cooperation lay the ground for building sustainable peace, stability, and prosperity in our region," Çavuşoğlu said.

He underlined that the trilateral sectoral cooperation action plan would develop the three countries' collaboration through practical cooperation areas and concrete projects, which would be implemented in the areas such as transport, trade, tourism, agriculture, education, environment and culture.

Çavuşoğlu also said that the countries discussed the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline Project (TANAP) that included the South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP) and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP).

"These projects ensure energy security and resource diversification of the region and Europe," he said.

Çavuşoğlu also stressed that Turkey would always support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Georgia's Zalkaliani said the trilateral summit was an important platform for dialogue...