Turkish President On Azerbaijan Visit

Turkey's President Abdullah Gul has been making an official visit to Azerbaijan, where he has discussed Turkish cooperation with Azerbaijan and efforts to bring peace to the southern Caucasus region.

Gul arrivied in Baku on August 16 and held talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

The two presidents signed a treaty of "strategic partnership and mutual cooperation" between their countries.

At a joint news conference, Aliyev described the accord as having “historical importance,” and said it covers future cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey.

For his part, the Turkish president said Turkey will continue to support Azerbaijan in the conflict with neighboring Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh territory.

But Gul also said Turkey backs the peaceful resolution of problems in the south Caucasus region and the development of cross-border economic cooperation.

"In order to bring peace to the southern Caucasus and develop cooperation in this region, we need to resolve the existing problems through peaceful means,” Gul said.

“This will result in cross-border cooperation, construction of new roads, new global economic projects. And we are working together in order to achieve this goal. Sometimes you see this work being done, sometimes you don't see when it's being done. This is politics, and work sometimes is being done quietly, without attracting attention, but many serious problems are resolved this way."

The Turkish president also met with Azerbaijan's Prime Minister Artur Rasizade, Parliament Speaker Ogtay Asadov and Grand Mufti of the Muslims of the Caucasus, Allahshukur Pashazade.

compiled from agency reports