Zarif: Iran-Turkey-Azerbaijan Share Lots, As Basis For Co-op

Ankara, March 15, IRNA – Iran, Turkey and Azerbaijan republics have lots of shared backgrounds and interests that can serve as the basis for their trilateral cooperation, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif said here on Friday. Zarif who arrived in Turkey on Friday morning to take part in the 3rd trilateral ministerial meeting of Iran, Turkey and Azerbaijan republics in Van, said in a meeting with the Iranian reporters that during the previous trilateral talks of these countries in Iranˈs Oroumiyeh City and Azerbaijan Republicˈs Nakhichevan City there were discussions on various issues of common interests and good agreements were reached. ˈIn this meeting, too, we will focus on trilateral cooperation in various fields,ˈ he said. On the Thursday meeting among the three countriesˈ experts, Zarif said that good discussions were made in that meeting, expressing hope that in the ministerial Friday meeting those discussions would be summarized and the ground would be paved for practical implementation of trilateral cooperation in various fields, such as tourism. The top diplomat said that in todayˈs world in addition to the globalization trend, the regional cooperation, too, has emerged as a factor at the service of achieving better statuses in the international scene, setting example of his yesterday visit of Oman within the Iranian presidential delegation. ˈThat was an example of the regional cooperation in the south, and now we are in Van, for regional cooperation in the west and the northwest,ˈ he said. Zarif added that in addition to such initiatives, there are other apparatuses for regional cooperation such as the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), the Developing Eight (D-8), and the other regional cooperation organizations, of which Iran tries to make the best use. Foreign ministers from Turkey, Iran and Azerbaijan will gather for a tripartite meeting March 14 in the eastern province of Van. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and his Iranian and Azeri counterparts, Mohammad-Javad Zarif and Elmar Mammadyarov will exchange views on enhancing regional cooperation on the issues of common interest to all three countries. The ministers will also hold bilateral talks. Iran’s Ambassador to Ankara Alireza Bigdeli had earlier reiterated that Iran, Turkey and Azerbaijan were enjoying valuable geopolitical locations, and shared several commonalties. The Ambassador also said the meeting to be held in Van was aimed at fostering economic cooperation among the three, IRNA reported. The first gathering of the three ministers took place in the Iranian city of Oroumiyeh in 2011, launching the process of trilateral meetings that aim to expand the field of regional cooperation between the three countries. The second meeting was held in 2012 in Nakhichevan./end