Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stressed to his American counterpart, Anthony Blinken, the necessity of declaring a complete and immediate ceasefire in Gaza, against which Israel has been waging war since last October 7.
This came during the two ministers’ discussions in Ankara on Monday, according to Turkish diplomatic sources, during which they discussed regional developments, particularly the latest developments in the situation in Gaza and bilateral relations.
During the meeting, Fidan stressed to his American counterpart the necessity of “preventing Israel’s targeting of civilians and their displacement in Gaza and declaring a complete and immediate ceasefire.”
During the meeting in which views were exchanged on Gaza, the two sides confirmed that they agreed on the need to ensure that no harm was caused to civilians and that humanitarian aid was delivered continuously and without interruption.
The source said regarding the meeting: “Turkey and the United States agree on the need not to harm civilians in Gaza and to deliver humanitarian aid.”
The source reported that during today’s meeting in Ankara between Fidan and Blinken, “the necessity of working together for a two-state solution was also emphasized.”
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During the discussions, the Turkish Foreign Minister assured his American counterpart that bombing civilian targets and destroying infrastructure in Gaza was “unacceptable.”
On another level, during the meeting that took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ankara, the two ministers discussed the NATO expansion process within the framework of Sweden’s membership and bilateral and regional issues.
It is noteworthy that the bilateral and expanded discussions between the two sides lasted about two and a half hours, and after the talks, Blinken left Turkey.
Blinken’s visit to Turkey comes after a Middle Eastern tour that he began with a visit to Israel.
During his tour with his counterparts in Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, Blinken discussed the Israeli war on Gaza.
He also went to the West Bank with a surprise visit, during which he met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, followed by a visit to Greek Cyprus, where he met with its head of administration, Nikos Christodoulides.
Later, the American Minister visited the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, during which he discussed with Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani the situation in Gaza.
After Ankara, Blinken is expected to head to Tokyo, Seoul, and New Delhi.
