ANKARA

The Turkish foreign minister on Wednesday highlighted the Middle Corridor’s vital role as a strategic and efficient trade route linking Asia and Europe.

“Challenges have demonstrated that Central Asia, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus, and Türkiye -- namely the Middle Corridor -- offer the most reliable and economical route for trade between Asia and Europe,” Hakan Fidan said at the opening of the second trilateral meeting of Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan’s ministries of foreign affairs, transport, and trade.

Fidan noted that disruptions in supply chains following the global pandemic and conflicts erupting in the region have shaken the fundamental pillars of the global system.

Fidan highlighted that the energy crisis triggered by sanctions and counter-sanctions has increased the geostrategic significance of Central Asia and the Caucasus, further positioning Türkiye as an energy hub.  

Call for support to Syria

Underlining that the "satisfying and promising" developments in Syria have opened a new window of opportunity for the region, Fidan said: “We must support Syria’s reconstruction and development hand in hand.”

“Syria’s stability and progress will ensure regional stability and security, bringing new opportunities in logistics, transportation, trade, and energy,” he noted.

Fidan stated that Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan would discuss cooperation opportunities regarding connectivity projects and political and economic partnerships during the meeting, and the agreed-upon matters would be documented in a joint declaration.

A roadmap for concrete steps to be taken in the future would be determined in the meeting, he said, adding: “As the first agenda item, we will evaluate developments closely affecting our countries and region in terms of foreign policy issues and regional cooperation with our Azerbaijani and Uzbek counterparts.”

The second agenda item, he noted, would focus on enhancing cooperation in trade, economy, and investment, pointing to Türkiye’s growing trade volume and increasing trade with the Turkic world.

Fidan also mentioned that the transport ministers of the three "brotherly" countries would discuss developing regional transportation networks and strengthening cooperation in the transportation and communication sectors.

The meeting, held in Ankara, was also attended by Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat, and Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu.

At the end of the trilateral meeting, the "Ankara Declaration" is expected to be signed, along with an Action Plan outlining a concrete roadmap for the three countries to follow in the future.  

Trilateral meeting

The first meeting in this format was held on Aug. 2, 2022, in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war caused disruptions in supply chains. In response to these developments, Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan established this trilateral platform to discuss projects aimed at strengthening economic, transportation, and energy connectivity among countries located along the historical Silk Road.

The meeting is also seen as a concrete demonstration of Türkiye’s close solidarity and cooperation with the countries of the Turkic World.