Meeting of Foreign Ministers of Five Regional Countries in Istanbul
On October 18, a meeting of the foreign ministers of Türkiye, Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia opened in Istanbul. In his opening remarks, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan expressed confidence that the South Caucasus countries are best positioned to understand and resolve the region's issues, according to Anadolu Agency.
Fidan noted that this event serves as a consultative platform aimed at ensuring peace and cooperation in the South Caucasus. He also expressed regret over the absence of a Georgian delegation at the meeting.
"The foundation of our perspective on the South Caucasus is rooted in the understanding of regional responsibility. We believe that the countries of the region are best aware of the regional problems and can address them," he stated, adding that a joint declaration is expected to be adopted following the meeting.
The South Caucasus Regional Cooperation Platform (3+3) was initiated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev shortly after the conclusion of the Second Karabakh War in December 2020.
Politics
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The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (OPHRD), a joint program of the World Organization against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), has called for the urgent release of activist Rufat Safarov from prison in Azerbaijan. It has launched a campaign in support of the Azerbaijani human rights defender. https://www.omct.org/en/resources/urgent-interventions/arbitrary-detention-and-judicial-harassment-against-rufat-safarov
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This year, the laureate of the annual Nargiz Prize, awarded for efforts in the fight for democracy, was Akif Gurbanov, chairman of the board of the Resplatforma (Platform of the III Republic) movement, who is under arrest.
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The U.S. will prohibit the issuing of visas for nearly a dozen more individuals responsible for undermining democracy in Georgia, bringing the total number to over 100, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.
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The President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, has expressed condolences to the President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, following the tragic incident in the city of Magdeburg. "We are deeply shocked by the news of the deaths and injuries resulting from the tragic incident that took place at the Christmas market in Magdeburg," the message reads.
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