Turkish top diplomat in talks with allies over Gaza, Ukraine

PRAGUE

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held in-depth talks with his colleagues from prominent NATO allies, including the United States and the Netherlands, over the latest developments in Ukraine and Gaza, the diplomatic sources have said.

Fidan attended the NATO’s informal meeting in Prague on May 30 and 31, where he also had bilateral talks with his colleagues. His first meeting was with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken late on May 30.

According to the sources, the two men discussed efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza and resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict through the two-state solution. They have also reviewed the latest situation in Ukraine amid intensified attacks from Russia. The conflicts in some Western African countries were also on their agenda, the sources stressed.

Fidan also raised Türkiye’s views regarding the latest developments in Syria, the sources added. Turkish and American foreign ministers also discussed the agenda of the upcoming NATO Summit in Washington on July 9 and 11.

A statement released by the U.S. State Department on the meeting underlined that Blinken and Fidan “discussed efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza that secures the release of hostages, as well as the importance of increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza and preventing regional instability.” They also discussed opportunities to support peace and prosperity in the Caucasus region, it added.

Fidan meets Dutch counterpart

Fidan, on the second day of the NATO summit in Prague, held meetings with some other colleagues, including Dutch Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot. There was no statement after the meeting.

During 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. He also called on the allies to increase their anti-terror cooperation with Türkiye, especially in northern Syria, where the PKK/YPG is trying to create its own entity.

The U.S. has been supporting the YPG in the pretext of fighting the ISIL terror organization.