Baku, Azerbaijan, March 15

Trend:

The text of the Baku Statement signed at the first quadrilateral meeting of foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iran and Georgia has been disclosed, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry told Trend.

In the Baku Statement, the Ministers, emphasized their commitment to the principles and norms of the United Nations Charter.

They reaffirmed commitment to further enhance solidarity and cooperation among the peoples of the four countries based on deep-rooted historical and cultural ties that will serve to strengthen peace, stability, prosperity in the region;

Expressed their satisfaction with the growing cooperation among their countries and reaffirmed their strong commitment for further developing their cooperation based on the enhanced partnership, good neighborhood, mutual respect and trust;

Emphasized their common interest to strengthen regional peace and stability, in this context stressed their commitment to principles of international law on respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of internationally recognized borders of states as well as peaceful settlement of all conflicts in the region;

Agreed to explore and extend quadrilateral cooperation on all possible areas with the aim to ensure prosperity for the people of the four countries;

Underlined the significance of consultations on regional and global issues of common interest at different levels and platforms, and within the framework of international and regional organizations with a view to enhancing regional and international peace, security and stability;

Agreed to use the existing potential for promotion of investments and trade, as well as to support cooperation by implementing the joint projects and programs, where it is appropriate, in the field of energy, transport, finance, telecommunication, information communication technology (ICT), industry, agriculture, tourism and environment;

Underlined the significant steps taken to increase the transit potential of the four countries geographically favorably situated on international transit corridors in order to integrate their national transport infrastructure to the international transit system;

Stressed the importance of further enhancement of cooperation for implementation of new projects in order to develop transport infrastructure and increase transit potential of the four countries on “South-West” route starting from Iranian Ports of Bandar-Abbas and Chabahar at Persian Gulf through Rasht-Astara connecting to Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway;

Underlined the importance of strengthening cooperation in the field of civil aviation to reach the high potential as well as to further benefit from the geographical advantages of the four countries;

Expressed their willingness to enhance commercial collaboration in the oil, natural gas and petrochemical fields;

Agreed to encourage relations among the banking networks of the four countries according to their respective national legislations and to share experience and information on international banking procedures as well as on combating money-laundering and financing terrorism;

Underlined the importance to cooperate within the framework of global and regional economic organizations;

Emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation to mitigate and prevent environmental degradation, with a view to reaching the relevant goals of 2030 sustainable development agenda adopted by the United Nations in September 2015;

Agreed to positively evaluate the candidatures of four countries in the international or regional organizations and in this vein, welcomed the candidature of Baku for hosting World EXPO-2025; further took note that Baku is also candidate city for hosting Annual Meetings of the Board of Governors of the World Bank Group (WBG) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2021;

Underlined the importance of the Tbilisi Belt and Road Forums held in 2015 and 2017 and stressed the significance of high level participation at the next forum in Tbilisi;

Reiterated their firm commitment to strengthen their cooperation in the fight against terrorism, violent extremism and separatism in all their forms and manifestations, transnational organized crime, illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and their precursors, arms, crimes against cultural and historical heritage, cybercrime, human trafficking and smuggling of migrants;

Underscored the importance of cooperation in the areas of culture, education, health care, youth exchange, tourism and sports with a scope to expand people-to-people contacts between their countries and expressed their readiness to initiate and promote joint projects and events in these spheres;

Stressed the importance of preparation of Quadrilateral Sectoral Cooperation Action Plan in the areas of common interest;

Reiterated the importance of holding regular meetings in the quadrilateral format;

Agreed to hold the next meeting in Georgia.