Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Saturday that Turkey is ready to take on the role of de facto guarantor if a two-state solution is implemented in Palestine, the Anadolu Agency reported, quoted by BTA.
In a television broadcast, Fidan said that Turkey has so far acted as a mediator in efforts to end the war in Gaza, promoting peace through its close ties and long-standing support for Palestinian causes.
“If an agreement acceptable to the Palestinians is reached, we (Turkey) are ready to do our part,“ Fidan said. “If a two-state solution is reached, Turkey is ready to take on the responsibility of a de facto guarantor“.
He said expecting “full trust“ in Israel was unrealistic, stressing instead the importance of international pressure to ensure accountability. The Turkish foreign minister said an “early working group“ had been formed to deal with operational issues during the Gaza ceasefire process, including issues related to the exchange of hostages and bodies.
He added that the group's work was aimed at maintaining communication and coordination on the ground.
The Turkish foreign minister said discussions on three institutional mechanisms outlined in US President Donald Trump's Gaza ceasefire plan were continuing. The mechanisms are a working group, a peace council and a stabilization force, but their mandates and composition have not yet been finalized, the agency notes. Fidan stressed that Turkey's defense and intelligence coordination is a demonstration of its readiness to take on greater responsibility if peace is achieved.
“If a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders is implemented and the Palestinians receive a sovereign and equal state, we are ready to act as a guarantor,“ Fidan said. "This is a significant commitment that not every country can make," he added.
On Monday, a summit was held in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, where US President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi hosted more than 20 world leaders, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to sign a document formalizing the ceasefire in Gaza, the agency recalls. Erdogan, Trump, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani officially signed the agreement in support of the ceasefire and lasting peace in Gaza.