President Aliyev attending 7th Ministerial 'Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process' (PHOTO)

The 7th Ministerial Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process (HoA), titled "Security and Economic Connectivity towards a Strengthened Heart of Asia Region”, has kicked off in Baku Dec. 1.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev is participating in the conference.

The 7th Ministerial Conference is attended by representatives of states and organizations that are members of the "Heart of Asia - Istanbul Process” – president and foreign minister of Afghanistan, foreign ministers of Turkey, Pakistan, Iran, Indian minister of state for External Affairs, deputy foreign ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, special representatives of Russia and China on Afghanistan, delegations of the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, as well as the special representative of the UN Secretary General on Afghanistan and Central Asia.

Meanwhile, representatives of countries supporting the Istanbul Process, such as the UK Prime Minister's Special Representative for Afghanistan , the US State Department representative for South and Central Asia, special representatives of Japan, Spain and Norway for Afghanistan, high-level delegations from the foreign ministries of Italy, Canada, Denmark, France, Finland, Poland, Egypt, Sweden and other countries are participating in the event.

From the international organizations supporting the Istanbul Process, the event is being attended by the Estonian foreign minister (European Union), the NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan, secretary generals of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and the Turkic Council, president of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, deputy secretary general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), deputy executive director of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), deputy secretary general of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and representatives of other international institutions.

More than 250 delegates are taking part in the ministerial conference.