Erdoğan meets dozens of leaders at COP31 including Pezeshkian and Pashinyan; electricity agreement signed with Saudi Arabia

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held bilateral meetings with numerous heads of state and leaders on November 10-12 within the scope of the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, held at the Antalya EXPO grounds. Anadolu Agency reported.

In the round that began on November 10 with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Erdoğan stated that they are continuing efforts with regional countries to reduce tension in the Iran-US dispute. Erdoğan, who said they are ready to support a new dialogue process to end the Ukraine-Russia War, also discussed Gaza, Cyprus and Libya with Guterres. The meeting held the same day with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was the first face-to-face official international contact after Silva's re-election to office.

Following the reception of Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar and the Saudi Energy Minister signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Electricity Projects in the presence of Erdoğan.

Erdoğan also met with Turkmenistan's National Leader and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, emphasizing the need to intensify cooperation in the fields of energy, trade, defense industry and investment.

On November 11, Erdoğan received Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and discussed bilateral trade potential. Receiving Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidency Council Chairman Denis Becirovic and Council Member Zeljko Komsic the same day, Erdoğan stressed that Turkey will continue its support for Bosnia and Herzegovina's territorial integrity and constitutional order.

Erdoğan, who also received Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, stated that Turkey-Ethiopia relations would develop and conveyed his congratulations on Ethiopia's hosting of COP32. In the meeting held with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarik Rahman, trade and defense industry cooperation and the humanitarian situation in Cox's Bazar were discussed.

Receiving Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Erdoğan said that the Turkey-Armenia normalization process is continuing with constructive moves and that symbolic but important steps have been taken. Erdoğan, who met with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, stressed that the Middle Corridor and the Belt and Road Initiative could be harmonized and that, together with the Development Road Project, an important cooperation opportunity has emerged.

On November 12, the final day of the summit, Erdoğan met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and expressed his wish that the Iran-US conflicts end as soon as possible, drawing attention to the urgency of establishing a negotiating table. Erdoğan, who also met with President Felix Antoine Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo the same day, said they would take steps in the fields of trade, transport and defense industry.