ANKARA — Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will travel to Doha on Wednesday, where he is scheduled to meet Qatari officials in bid to contain the rapid regional escalation between Iran and Israel.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Fidan will meet with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who also serves as the Gulf power’s top diplomat, to discuss the “situation in Palestine and regional developments.”
Fidan is also expected to meet with Hamas political leaders based in the Qatari capital, Turkey’s public broadcaster TRT reported, citing diplomatic sources. Ankara does not consider Hamas a terror outfit and the militant group’s political leaders can freely travel to Turkey.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is among the most vocal critics of Israel regarding the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Last week, Ankara announced export restrictions on dozens of products to Israel and intentions to maintain them until a cease-fire is reached in Gaza.
After Fidan’s visit, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry is also expected to visit Turkey to discuss the latest developments over the weekend, according to TRT.
The diplomatic surge comes as Israel weighs potential responses to Iran’s attack on Israel early Sunday. Regional powers including Turkey, Qatar and Egypt are warning both sides against further escalation. Tehran said the unprecedented attack was in retaliation for the Jewish state’s strike on an Iranian diplomatic mission in the Syrian capital earlier this month.
The conflict in Gaza and the escalation between Iran and Israel were also on the agenda of the meeting between Fidan and Acting Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs John Bass on Monday. Following the meeting, the senior American official met with chief Erdogan adviser and spokesperson Akif Cagatay Kilic on Tuesday. Kilic stated that the two discussed bilateral ties and other international issues.
Turkey’s FM to visit Qatar as regional diplomacy seeks to contain Iran-Israel tension
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16.04.2024
ANKARA — Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will travel to Doha on Wednesday, where he is scheduled to meet Qatari officials in bid to contain the rapid regional escalation between Iran and Israel.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Fidan will meet with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who also serves as the Gulf power’s top diplomat, to discuss the “situation in Palestine and regional developments.”
Fidan is also expected to meet with........
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