UPDATE - Turkish foreign minister arrives in Tajikistan

UPDATES WITH TWEET FROM TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER, DETAILS, CHANGES HEADLINE, LEDE, MINOR EDIT

By Handan Kazanci

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Sunday arrived in Tajikistan for a three-day official visit.

“In friendly and brotherly #Tajikistan to discuss bilateral relations and attend 9th Ministerial Conference of the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process,” Cavusoglu said on Twitter.

Earlier in the day, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Cavusoglu will meet with his Tajik counterpart Sirojiddin Muhriddin as well as Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon.

“All aspects of bilateral relations will be discussed and views will be exchanged on regional and international developments during the meetings,” it read.

Cavusoglu will also attend the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process meeting, which is co-hosted by Tajikistan and Afghanistan, on Tuesday, the statement added.

The regional initiative was officially launched at a conference in Istanbul on Nov. 2, 2011.

"The process aims to promote regional security, economic and political cooperation centered on Afghanistan through dialogue and confidence-building measures," according to the organization's website.

According to the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Turkey ranked third among the countries which assisted Tajikistan during the COVID-19 pandemic. The total value of Turkish investments in the country between 2009 and 2019 was $200 million.

Bilateral trade volume was $322 million in 2020. The total value of 52 projects undertaken by Turkish contractors in the Central Asian country is $660 million.