Turkey's Erdogan visits Azerbaijan

The leader of Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is beginning a two-day visit to Azerbaijan.

Officials say Mr Erdogan and the Azerbaijani President, Heidar Aliyev, are likely to discuss plans for a multi-billion dollar project to export natural gas from the Caspian Sea to Turkey.

Some reports suggest that the project may not go ahead if Turkey, with its weak economy, cannot afford to buy the gas.

Azeri officials are reported to have said that if the go-ahead is not given by February the whole project may have to be postponed.

The two leaders are also expected to discuss regional security.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service