Fidan due in China for bilateral talks

ANKARA

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will embark on a three-day visit to China starting June 3, following an invitation from his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.

The visit will focus on bilateral relations and include discussions on current regional and international issues, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.

Fidan's trip follows a series of diplomatic engagements. He had a phone conversation with Iran's acting top diplomat, Ali Bagheri Kani, to discuss the humanitarian situation in Gaza on June 1.

Kani, who has been serving as Iran's deputy foreign minister for political affairs and lead nuclear negotiator since 2021, was appointed as the top diplomat following the death of Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in a helicopter crash on May 19.

Kani will hold the position until new elections are held within 50 days, as per the country’s law.

In addition, Fidan recently participated in extensive talks with NATO allies in the Czech capital Prague on May 30 and 31.

His initial meeting was with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. According to diplomatic sources, their discussion centered on efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and advancing the two-state solution to resolve the war.

They also reviewed the situation in Ukraine amid intensified Russian attacks.

Fidan also met with Dutch Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot in Prague. No statement was released following their meeting.

Throughout the NATO talks, Fidan raised Türkiye’s expectations for lifting all sorts of restrictions and sanctions on arms trade between the NATO allies "in line with the alliance spirit," sources said.