“Israel has adopted a strategy of creating instability in the entire region, and we, together with our friendly and brotherly countries, have adopted a policy in favor of peace against this attitude of Israel. Today, we continue all diplomatic efforts to end the war in the Middle East”.
This was stated by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan at a press conference on the occasion of the informal meeting of the foreign ministers of the countries of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) held yesterday at the Çaragan Saray Palace in Istanbul. He hosted the event.
The meeting in Istanbul was attended by the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, which is the chairman-in-office of the OTS, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Bilateral meetings between Fidan and his colleagues also took place within the framework of the meeting.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted the visiting ministers and held talks with them.
In a statement to journalists, Hakan Fidan stressed that despite being in a ring of fire, Turkey has maintained peace, security and stability.
„This is not a coincidence. It is a result of the sensible foreign policy we are pursuing under the leadership of our President (Recep Tayyip Erdogan),” Fidan said.
According to him, the attacks on Turkey and Azerbaijan this week have once again shown how great the danger the countries face.
“Attacking the civilian and energy infrastructure of countries that do not allow other countries to use their airspace or allow the use of foreign military bases within their borders is not a correct strategy”, emphasized the Turkish top diplomat, emphasizing that “attacks on Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain endanger the lives of innocent civilians and increase the likelihood of the war expanding”.
In response to a question about the evacuation of citizens stranded in dangerous places due to the cancellation of a number of flights, Hakan Fidan said that Turkey is organizing the movement by buses to Saudi Arabia and Oman, from where there are flights.
“Our diplomatic missions abroad are coordinating their actions. Turkish Airlines is also making every effort and providing support, without necessarily pursuing profit. Assistance is provided not only to our citizens, but also to many citizens of other countries who want to get to Istanbul as soon as possible in order to feel safe. Round-the-clock coordination is ensured both in Ankara and in our diplomatic missions, the Turkish Foreign Minister said.
The Organization of Turkic States was founded in 2009. The members of the OTD are Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, while Turkmenistan, Hungary and the so-called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC, recognized only by Ankara) have the status of observer countries.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shared photos from the informal meeting on its profile on the social network ENSocial.