ISTANBUL

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Thursday that Ankara is pleased with the ongoing peace talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia, adding that the opportunity for peace has grown significantly and is now unavoidable.

"We welcome the positive progress of permanent peace and border determination agreements between Azerbaijan and Armenia," Fidan said at a joint press conference with his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov in capital Baku.

The opportunity for peace has increased significantly and is now unavoidable, Fidan said, while expressing his satisfaction at the recent decision by Azerbaijan and Armenia to take concrete confidence-building measures.

"We hope that such steps will continue and pave the way for a comprehensive peace agreement," he said.

The momentum in Azerbaijan-Armenia peace talks will also help normalize relations between Ankara and Yerevan, Fidan stressed.

The foreign minister also congratulated Azerbaijan on establishing control and sovereignty over Karabakh through the counter-terrorism operation in September this year.

The stability of the South Caucasus is crucial for the security of transportation and energy pipelines, said Fidan, adding: "We must address the opportunities and risks in the energy sector with a comprehensive strategy based on our common interests."

"The expansion of TANAP's capacity and the transfer of Caspian natural gas to Türkiye and Europe are crucial elements of our strategy."

A peaceful and tranquil South Caucasus is in the interests of all actors, Fidan said, stressing that all parties should work to create a climate of peace and normalization.

"Unfortunately, the Armenian diaspora in the West exploits the difficult conditions faced by the Armenian people," the Turkish foreign minister said.

Stressing that the Armenian diaspora attempts to incite some countries against Azerbaijan, Fidan said: "It would be more appropriate to channel efforts towards creating an environment where the Armenian people can establish normal relations with their neighbors, rather than dealing with these provocations."