Mr. Ahmet Davutoğlu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey paid an official visit to Azerbaijan on July 16-17, 2013.

During the meetings that were held in private and with the participation of the two delegations, the issues on the agenda of Turkish-Azerbaijani bilateral relations and regional and international issues of mutual interest to both countries were evaluated thoroughly.

Foreign Minister Davutoğlu, speaking at the joint-press conference held with his Azeri counterpart indicated that there is a wide range of cooperation areas between Turkey and Azerbaijan which are two brotherly countries from time immemorial. He stressed that the two countries finalized many projects ranging from defense industry to trade relations, from transportation to energy, with success and these accomplishments were the practical results of the bridge of friendship between the two countries. Announcing that the diplomat exchange program will be started soon between the Foreign Ministries of the two countries Foreign Minister Davutoğlu said that a number of Turkish and Azeri diplomats will work at the Foreign Ministry of the other country within this exchange program.

Foreign Minister Davutoğlu also touched upon the settlement process of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and emphasized Turkey’s continuous consultation with Azerbaijan to solve to the conflict and the continuance of Turkish support to Azerbaijan’s just position in Nagorno-Karabakh issue.

Foreign Minister Davutoğlu said “For international community, it is time to make an assessment. The Minsk Group has strived for more than 20 years. We appreciate these efforts, but they don’t produce any result. Everyone should question the reasons for the failure of the Minsk Group. Co-chairs should work more actively. The members of the Minsk Group have also responsibilities in this respect. Turkey is a part of the Minsk Group, however as the process is carried out by the Co-Chairs, we are not able to make the necessary contribution. We will support all positive steps to be taken for the settlement of the conflict.”

Foreign Minister Davutoglu was received by President Mr. Ilham Aliyev during his visit to Azerbaijan. He also met with Turkish businessmen and listened to their problems in a meeting held in Turkish Embassy in Baku.