UPDATE 2 - Turkish president meets with counterparts at Antalya Diplomacy Forum

UPDATES WITH MORE MEETINGS, REVISES DECK

By Fatma Zehra Solmaz, Esra Tekin and Beril Canakci

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Friday with the leaders of Azerbaijan, Montenegro, Kosovo, and Libya on the sidelines of the 4th Antalya Diplomacy Forum.

President Erdogan held talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic, Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government President Nechirvan Barzani, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani.

According to Türkiye’s Communications Directorate, Erdogan and Dbeibeh discussed bilateral ties as well as regional and global issues.

Ankara places importance on Libya’s prosperity and security, said Erdogan, adding that the country will continue to enhance cooperation in every field with Libya.

Erdogan also stated that Türkiye and Libya will continue close coordination to protect their shared interests in the Eastern Mediterranean.

According to the directorate's X account, during his meeting with Aliyev, Erdogan stressed the importance of strengthening bilateral relations, especially in energy, transportation, and defense.

The directorate added: "Expressing that the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia is commendable, President Erdogan emphasized that Türkiye wishes to see Azerbaijan as the architect of peace in the South Caucasus and added that Türkiye is carefully continuing the normalization process with Armenia."

Additionally, the directorate said that in his discussion with Milatovic, Erdogan stressed the importance of strengthening trade ties between Türkiye and Montenegro, stating that "taking new mutual steps in the coming period will be beneficial to enhance cooperation," and emphasizing that "increasing the bilateral trade volume is a primary goal."

During his meeting with the Hungarian prime minister, Erdogan said, according to the directorate, cooperation between the two countries continues to strengthen, and that steps to be taken in areas such as the economy, trade, energy and defense would serve the shared interests of both nations.

The three-day Antalya Diplomacy Forum, which kicked off on Friday, is centered on the theme "Reclaiming Diplomacy in a Fragmented World." The event brings together global leaders, policymakers, and experts to tackle critical global challenges, such as geopolitical tensions, inequality, violence, and climate change, while exploring ways diplomacy can restore stability and foster international cooperation.