Turkish President discuss regional peace with Azerbaijani counterpart

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has held a phone conversation with his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev, according to a statement by Turkey's Communications Directorate.

Two leaders discussed the necessary steps for permanent peace in the region, the statement said.

Turkish, Azerbaijani presidents evaluated future steps to protect Azerbaijan's interests, and to establish lasting peace in the region during the talks, it added.

The statement added that the two leaders discussed the outcome of 3-way meeting between senior Azerbaijani, Armenian, EU officials in Brussels.

Last December, around a year after Azerbaijan and Armenia ended a 44-day war over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, Michel met separately with both leaders and then hosted them together at a dinner in Brussels.

Relations between the two former Soviet countries have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Upper Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

New clashes erupted in September 2020, and the 44-day conflict saw Azerbaijan liberate several cities and over 300 settlements and villages that were occupied by Armenia for almost 30 years.

A tripartite agreement was brokered by Russia to bring an end to the war in November 2020.