site.btaTurkiye Continues All Efforts to End War in Middle East, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan Says

Turkiye continues to make every effort to end the war in the Middle East, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Saturday. He was speaking at a press conference following an informal meeting of the foreign ministers of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) held on Friday in Istanbul.

“Israel has adopted a strategy of creating instability throughout the region, and together with our friendly and brotherly countries we have adopted a policy in favor of peace in response to this approach by Israel. Today we continue all diplomatic efforts to end the war in the Middle East,” Fidan said.

The meeting in Istanbul was attended by the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, which currently holds the rotating chairmanship of the OTS, as well as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Bilateral meetings were also held between Fidan and his counterparts on the sidelines of the gathering. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted a reception for the visiting ministers and held talks with them.

In remarks to journalists, Fidan stressed that despite being surrounded by instability, Turkiye has preserved peace, security and stability. “This is not a coincidence. It is the result of the prudent foreign policy we are pursuing under the leadership of our President,” Fidan said.

According to him, attacks against Turkiye and Azerbaijan earlier in the week once again demonstrated the scale of the danger facing the countries. On March 4, Turkish Defence Ministry said that NATO air and missile defence systems stationed in the eastern Mediterranean have destroyed a ballistic missile fired from Iran as it entered Turkish airspace after passing over Syria and Iraq.

“Targeting the civilian and energy infrastructure of states that do not allow other countries to use their airspace or host foreign military bases within their borders is not the right strategy,” Fidan said. He added that “attacks against Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain endanger the lives of innocent civilians and increase the likelihood of the war expanding.”

Responding to a question about the evacuation of citizens stranded in dangerous locations due to the cancellation of numerous flights, Fidan said Turkiye is organizing bus transportation to Saudi Arabia and Oman, from where flights are available.

“Our diplomatic missions abroad are coordinating their actions. Turkish Airlines is also making every effort and providing support without necessarily seeking profit. Assistance is being provided not only to our citizens but also to many citizens of other countries who want to reach Istanbul as soon as possible in order to feel safe. Round-the-clock coordination has been ensured both in Ankara and at our diplomatic missions abroad,” the Minister said.