Erdoğan, Ahmadinejad discuss Syria during private meeting

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reportedly discussed their differences over Syria during an unscheduled meeting this morning in Baku.

The meeting lasted about 40 minutes, according to reports.

Nuclear energy issues and the Party for Free Life in Kurdistan (PJAK), the Iranian wing of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' (PKK) Party, were also discussed by the leaders.

The Iranian leader showed support for Turkey regarding the issue of the border town of Akçakale, where five people were killed by Syrian shelling on Oct. 3.

Earlier reports had suggested that no face-to-face meeting would take place between the leaders at the ECO Summit in the Azerbaijani capital due to the worsening relations between the neighboring countries.

Northern Cyprus gets observer status

Following the private meeting with Erdoğan, Ahmadinejad agreed to lift the veto on Turkish Cyprus.

The republic was given observer status at the event through the signing of a historic agreement.