Pakistan, Turkey, Azerbaijan agree to 'resolve global issues in line with int'l law': Qureshi

• Foreign ministers of Pakistan, Turkey, and Azerbaijan talk "atrocities against Muslim minorities and Islamophobia"
  
• "Pakistan has close fraternal relations with both Turkey and Azerbaijan," says FM Qureshi
• Kashmiri people "grateful for the support of Turkey and Azerbaijan", he adds

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, Turkey, and Azerbaijan have agreed to "resolve all global issues in line with the international law", Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Wednesday.

Addressing a joint press conference with his counterparts from Turkey and Azerbaijan, Qureshi said the three leaders talked about "the systemic and gross human rights violations and crimes against humanity committed against Muslim minorities, including the rising trend of Islamophobia", as well as the promotion of education and culture.

"We agreed to resolve all global issues in accordance with international law," he added, underlining that Pakistan had close fraternal relations with both Turkey and Azerbaijan.

The foreign minister spoke of their discussions on cooperation between the three countries in trade, investment, and other areas, as well as rail, road, and air links.

Speaking of the peace and stability in the region, which he said all three countries wished for, Qureshi said the Kashmiri people were "grateful for the support of Turkey and Azerbaijan".

"Our reverence for spiritual centers of Turkey & Azerbaijan transcend generations," the foreign minister wrote on Twitter.

Turkey 'increasing our defense cooperation'

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, on the other hand, said his country and Pakistan supported each other.

"Pakistan and Turkey need to increase combined trade volume, [which, at the moment] is only $800 million," he underscored. "We're increasing our defense cooperation with Pakistan and we will continue to support and promote security, stability, and prosperity."

Noting that Turkey supported solving the Kashmir issue as per the United Nations (UN) resolutions, Çavuşoğlu said his country "express(es) heartfelt solidarity with Kashmiris brothers".

The Turkish foreign minister expressed gratitude at being conferred the Hilal-e-Pakistan award, terming receiving it "a sign of brotherhood".

"We want to increase cooperation in defense and various other fields," he added.

On his Twitter account, Çavuşoğlu posted various updates, including President Dr Arif Alvi presenting the 'Hilal-e-Pakistan' Award, signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU), and the announcement that Turkey "will organize 7th Meeting of High Level Strategic Cooperation Council in our country this year".

"Pakistan is our second home. We are in Islamabad to further our excellent relations [and] will proudly carry the 'Hilal-e-Pakistan Award'," he wrote. "Turkey-Pakistan Dosti Zindabad."

'Our common values are religion and culture'

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, in his remarks, spoke of the Nagorno-Karabakh region, inviting Pakistan and Turkey for reconstruction in the "liberated territories".

Pakistani and Turkish companies were invited to invest in the newly-liberated territories of Azerbaijan, Bayramov said. "We are grateful for the support of Pakistan and Turkey during the Nagorno-Karabakh war," he stated.

"The common values of our three countries are religion and culture," the Azerbaijani foreign minister added.

"Had a pleasure to meet the Foreign Minister of brotherly #Pakistan @SMQureshiPTI," he wrote on Twitter.

"We had another useful exchange of views on the further development of regional cooperation, as well as various aspects of bilateral relations," Bayramov added.