Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, at a press conference today in Baku, said his government plans to open a consulate in Shushi, the fortress town in Karabakh now under Azerbaijani occupation.

“"We are ready to open a general consulate in Shushi when they want it in Baku. That will be our message to the whole world, particularly to Armenia," Erdoğan said.

On June 12, after being re-elected as president on May 28, Erdoğan made his first foreign visit to Azerbaijan.

The leaders of Turkey and Azerbaijan discussed energy issues, focusing on the export of Azerbaijani natural gas to Europe via Turkey.

Referring to the Turkish-Azerbaijani relations, Aliyev noted that the unity of Azerbaijan and Turkey is important for the South Caucasus and the entire Turkic world. He said the two countries will build their foreign policy on a common position in the future.

Aliyev also referred to the opening of the so-called Zangezur Corridor, through which Baku wants to connect its western regions to Nakhichevan through the territory of Armenia. "The sooner the corridor is opened, the better. We will strengthen the work in this direction," he said.

Erdoğan said the opening of the corridor Zangezur Corridor will greatly strengthen Turkish-Azerbaijani ties. "Both automobile and railway communication through Nakhichevan and Igdir is important, which will give an opportunity to strengthen ties with Turkey,” he said.

Erdoğan’s delegation includes his wife Emine Erdoğan, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan, Minister of Defense Yaşar Güler, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar, Head of the National Intelligence Organization Ibrahim Kalın, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu and Haluk Görgün, Head of the Defense Industry Department.