Azerbaijan–Türkiye Strategic Alliance: Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met Turkish FM Hakan Fidan in Baku for expanded talks under the Shusha Declaration, covering political dialogue, trade and investment, energy and transport, security and humanitarian cooperation, and coordination in UN, OTS, OIC, OSCE, ECO and other formats; Bayramov said trade topped $3.2bn in the first eight months of 2026 and highlighted new alternative-energy and Nakhchivan–Türkiye cable ideas. Regional Peace Diplomacy: The two sides reaffirmed that conflicts, including the Azerbaijan–Armenia normalization track, should be handled through political and diplomatic means. Security & Defence Ties: Azerbaijan’s Defence Minister Zakir Hasanov held talks in China with Admiral Dong Jun during the Xiangshan Forum, discussing military-technical cooperation and education; separately, Türkiye warned that spillover from the Ukraine–Russia war into the Black Sea threatens Turkish citizens and navigation. Legal & Governance Updates: Milli Majlis committee discussions include new rules for registering foreign diplomats and their families, and amendments to strengthen Azerbaijan’s legal mechanisms to combat financing of terrorism. Energy & Infrastructure: UAE’s XRG completed its stake acquisition in the Southern Gas Corridor CJSC, while Bayramov said major highway (95% ready) and railway (75% ready) projects toward the Armenian border are expected to finish in H1 2027; a TITR working group in Sofia also signed a protocol to boost Middle Corridor freight efficiency. Culture & Public Life: Azerbaijan marked the 108th anniversary of Baku’s liberation and promoted its cultural agenda abroad, including a “Best Cuisine” second-place finish at Tashkent’s Tasanno festival and Azerbaijani culture programming at Switzerland’s Montreux festival. International Friction: EU envoy Magdalena Grono joined a diplomats’ Karabakh tour where Hikmet Hajiyev promoted Baku’s narrative on Gandzasar, drawing sharp Armenian criticism.