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Iran's trade turnover via the Astara border crossing has reached $395 million, the governor said, according to an exclusive Trend News Agency article published on 17 October 2026 at 20:00 (UTC +04:00). The report appeared in the Iran news section of the Trend website.
European Council President Antonio Costa is expected to travel to Ankara in late October to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and reports suggest the two will discuss linking EU-Turkey relations to the Cyprus problem. The Greek Cypriot newspaper Fileleftheros reported that Costa would carry a message to Erdoğan that progress in EU-Turkey relations depends on developments on Cyprus and the resumption of negotiations.
Science
The National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan marked its 80th anniversary on October 17 with a solemn gathering. Attending were heads of state bodies, leaders of foreign academies of sciences, and leading Kazakhstani and foreign scientists. The report, citing the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, was published by Kazinform.
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev received a delegation led by Li Qiang, Premier of China's State Council, on October 17, according to the Uzbek presidential press service. The meeting addressed strengthening comprehensive strategic partnership and implementing agreements reached by the two leaders in Bishkek in August 2026.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — China is ready to expand trade with Uzbekistan, increase imports of Uzbek products and deepen cooperation in several sectors, including energy, artificial intelligence and modern agriculture. Chinese Premier Li Qiang made the statement during an official visit to Uzbekistan, the Xinhua news agency reported.
Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held talks on 17 October with a Chinese delegation led by Premier Li Qiang of the State Council. The sides discussed strengthening their strategic partnership, joint investment projects and cooperation in key economic sectors. Li Qiang conveyed greetings from Chinese President Xi Jinping.
On 17 October 2026, the 6th Pile Peace Festival was held in Pile with the participation of President Tufan Erhürman and Greek Cypriot administration leader Nikos Christodoulides. The event was organised by the Turkish and Greek Cypriot village headmen of Pile together with the Pile Office of the UN Peacekeeping Force (UNFICYP).
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said at a press briefing in Yerevan on October 16 that Iran is concerned about the presence of the United States in the region and around it in any form. He said Tehran believes Armenia will not take any step against Iran's security.
North Macedonia's Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski met Alper Aktaş, Türkiye's newly appointed ambassador to North Macedonia. The talks focused on developing bilateral cooperation and strengthening the partnership between the two countries, according to information relayed by MIA.
The Turkish Embassy in Baku said in a statement on 17 October 2026 that a report titled “Behind the scenes of Minister Hakan Fidan's meeting at GYF”, published by Qafqazinfo and some other news outlets, was based on baseless claims.
The 77th session of the Executive Committee of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was held in Geneva, Switzerland. The Turkmen delegation was led by Amanmukhammet Sazakov, Chairman of the State Migration Service of Turkmenistan.
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli issued a written press statement marking Azerbaijan’s 18 October Independence Restoration Day. He congratulated the country on the 35th anniversary of the Constitutional Act on State Independence, adopted by the Republic of Azerbaijan on 18 October 1991.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said that Cambodians who studied in Kazakhstan now hold senior posts in their country's government. He made the remarks at expanded talks with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, according to Akorda. Hun Manet said more than 120 Cambodian students were trained in Kazakhstan, and many later took high state positions, including governors of several provinces, state secretaries and ministry staff.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and his delegation will get acquainted with Kazakhstan's artificial intelligence developments at the Alem.ai international centre. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced this during expanded-format talks.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said radical groups in Afghanistan intend to use the country to threaten Central Asia and Russia. He made the remarks at a conference on the security of Central Asia and Afghanistan held under the CSTO, the CIS and the SCO. Daryo reported the statement, citing 24.kg.
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Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), shared a message on Azerbaijan's 18 October Day of Restoration of Independence. The message was reported by Anadolu Agency on 17 October 2026.
Trend News Agency reported on 17 October 2026 that Iran is continuing construction of a key North-South railway. The report was published in the Iran section of the agency's website and labelled as exclusive.
Li Qiang, Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, arrived in Uzbekistan for a two-day official visit. On October 17, he was met at Tashkent-Humo International Airport by Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov and other officials.
Diplomacy
Kazakhstan's ambassador to Russia, Dauren Abayev, took part in a conference of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on security in Central Asia and Afghanistan. Kazinform reported this, citing the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has concluded his official visit to Armenia, held from 15 to 17 October, and returned to Bishkek on 17 October.
On October 17, Kazakhstan and Cambodia adopted a joint statement and exchanged six intergovernmental and interagency documents following talks in Astana between Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, according to the Kazakh president's press service. The exchange ceremony was held in the presence of both leaders.
President Serdar Berdimuhamedov of Turkmenistan proposed the formation of a Network of Young Trust Ambassadors on 15 October, speaking at the 7th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Baku.
Kazakhstan's foreign trade turnover reached $103 billion in January–August 2026, up 12.8% year on year, the Ministry of Trade and Integration reported. Exports grew more than four times faster than imports. Exports totalled $60.4 billion, up 19.5%, while imports rose 4.5% to $42.6 billion, lifting the trade surplus to $17.8 billion from $9.8 billion a year earlier.
Uzbekistan and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) discussed continuing joint projects and developing initiatives in the agricultural sector. The talks took place at a meeting between Uzbek Minister of Agriculture Ibrokhim Abdurakhmonov and FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu, reported UzDaily.
Today's top Turkic news: Uzbekistan-China ties, Samarkand visit, Kulubaev-Rubio talks, Northern Cyprus festival and Turkmen desertification centre.
Read today's digest →