Georgia, Turkey, and Azerbaijan Hold 10th Trilateral Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Istanbul
By Messenger Staff
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Georgian Dream Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili, Hakan Fidan, and Jeyhun Bayramov met in Istanbul on June 8 for the 10th trilateral foreign ministers' meeting, signing the Istanbul Declaration and holding a joint press conference. Botchorishvili also held separate bilateral meetings with her Turkish and Azerbaijani counterparts. The sides agreed that the 11th trilateral meeting will be held in Georgia under the rotation principle.
During the meeting, the ministers reviewed cooperation in politics, trade, economy, energy, connectivity, agriculture, transportation, culture, and humanitarian affairs, emphasizing the importance of maintaining active high-level political dialogue and official visits. They also discussed major joint transit and energy projects, regional connectivity, the full-scale operation of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway, and development of the Middle Corridor.
The ministers also discussed regional developments and security challenges, stressing the importance of the peaceful settlement of conflicts through diplomatic channels. The talks concluded with the signing of the Istanbul Declaration.
At the joint press conference, Botchorishvili said the three countries are united by a shared vision of "peace, prosperity and common development," and noted that their cooperation has produced major infrastructure, energy, and transport projects that have strengthened regional connectivity and economic growth.
She stressed that sustainable peace and stability in the South Caucasus are essential for both regional development and wider international security, and said the partners aim to turn the region into a space of cooperation, connectivity, and prosperity. She welcomed progress in relations between Baku and Yerevan and in the normalization process between Ankara and Yerevan, adding that Georgia remains ready to support peace and stability efforts.
Botchorishvili also raised Russia's occupation of Georgia's Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia regions and thanked Turkey and Azerbaijan for their support of Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. She further emphasized the strategic importance of regional transit routes, describing the Middle Corridor as one of the key international trade and transit corridors and pledging continued cooperation to strengthen secure and efficient transport, trade, and economic links.
