Turkish president heads to Uzbekistan for regional summit, talks

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday embarked on a two-day visit to Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where he will attend a regional summit and meet world leaders.

On Friday, Erdogan will attend the 22nd Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), with Türkiye taking part at the presidential level for the first time since Ankara obtained SCO dialogue partner status in 2012.

Established in 2001, the eight-member organization aims to strengthen friendly, good neighborly relations and mutual trust among member states.

Erdogan is expected to address the second session of the summit and hold bilateral meetings with such leaders as his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

The historic grain export deal signed this July by UN, Türkiye, Russia, and Ukraine will be discussed during the talks between Erdogan and Putin.

Erdogan has said Türkiye wants grain shipments from Russia to also resume, like Ukraine’s exports under the deal.

During his visit to Samarkand, Erdogan on Thursday will visit the historic Hazrat Khizr Mosque and Tomb, attend a sapling-planting event along with the leaders of countries taking part in the summit, and tour newly built areas of the city.