Azerbaijan hosts rare summit of both converging and opposing Middle East and Asian leaders

Leaders from across Asia and the Middle East including in-conflict countries met in Baku on Thursday to address their differences — leading to tense moments — but also to explore ways in which they can work together in the fast-evolving global climate of turmoil, both within the summit and in bilateral meetings. Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev engineered bringing opposing heads of state and government under the same roof, as well as those seeking political and economic alliances, in a regional organisation focused on "confidence-building measures".