ISTANBUL

The Palestinian group Hamas is showing that it is willing to take constructive steps to ensure that the current ceasefire in Gaza is permanent, and Israel should have the same understanding, Türkiye’s foreign minister said Wednesday.

“The Gaza Strip is part of Palestine; it must remain so and be treated as such,” Hakan Fidan said during a joint news conference in the Turkish capital Ankara with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty.

Ties with Cairo

Expressing great pleasure in hosting Egypt’s foreign minister, Fidan noted that Abdelatty has been received by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Hailing the vision and will of the presidents of their two nations, Fidan said they are making “significant progress” in ties between the two countries.

Fidan noted that the first meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) held on Sept. 4, 2024 was a turning point for ties between the two countries, saying that as foreign ministers, they coordinate the cooperation process across various fields.

Noting that he and Abdelatty co-chaired the first meeting of the Türkiye-Egypt Joint Planning Group, he said representatives from the relevant institutions also attended the meeting and it addressed aspects of their relations in detail and reviewed the current status of the agreements under negotiation.

“We aim to have these agreements ready for signature by the time of the second HLSCC meeting next year. In this way, we will further strengthen the contractual foundation of our relations,” he added.

Pointing out that Egypt is Türkiye’s largest trade partner in Africa, Fidan said the bilateral trade volume between the two countries increased by 11% in 2024 compared to the previous year, approaching $9 billion.

He added that they are working to increase this number to $15 billion, stressing the importance of Turkish companies’ role in Egypt.

Fidan said they also decided to deepen cooperation in strategic areas including transportation, connectivity, energy and hydrocarbons.

Touching on the recent progress made in military cooperation, Fidan said Cairo and Ankara are aiming to mutually advance their militaries and security dialogues via reciprocal visits and exercises.

“We believe that joint projects developed with our public institutions and companies will further strengthen this partnership,” he added.

He announced that a joint statement would be issued following the first meeting of the Türkiye-Egypt Joint Planning Group, adding the goals and roadmap for the upcoming period have been formally documented in this way.

Regional issues

Fidan said that Türkiye and Egypt discussed developments in Libya, Sudan and Syria.

He underlined support for Libyan-led efforts toward lasting stability and for making the Eastern Mediterranean a region of fairness and prosperity through joint work with Egypt.

On Sudan, he expressed concern over ongoing clashes, calling for an immediate ceasefire, the protection of civilians and delivery of humanitarian aid, stressing Türkiye’s commitment to Sudan’s unity and sovereignty.

On Syria, Fidan welcomed its improving regional standing and its participation in the anti-ISIS coalition and reaffirmed Türkiye’s support for a secure, united and terrorism-free Syria.

“Syria’s growing status both regionally and internationally is highly gratifying. The visit of President Ahmed al-Shaara of Syria to Washington, DC represents an important development in this regard.

“We also welcome Syria’s participation in the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. This has created new opportunities to strengthen Syria’s counterterrorism capacity and improve its security environment. Türkiye will continue to support the vision of a Syria that is free from terrorism, secure and possesses territorial integrity,” he added.

He stated that Türkiye-Egypt cooperation is yielding tangible results for regional peace and stability.

Fidan’s contacts in US

Calling his meetings in the US “highly productive,” Fidan said he had the opportunity to attend part of the meetings between US President Donald Trump and Syrian President Ahmed al-Shaara.

The talks focused on how US-Syria-Türkiye cooperation could help resolve regional issues, particularly ways to support Syria’s unity and territorial integrity, he added.

Fidan underlined the importance of President Trump’s sensitivity to this issue, stating: “It is crucial for the international community to work together for the success of Syria’s new administration — to achieve stability, peace, the return of refugees, and ensure that the new Syria poses no threat to any country in the region.”

He noted that he also held separate meetings with US Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump’s Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff and US Ambassador to Türkiye and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack, where the Syrian issue was discussed in depth.

Following the Trump-Shaara meeting, a trilateral meeting was held between the foreign ministers of Syria, Türkiye and the US, where more detailed topics were addressed.

“We discussed how to reach an agreement on the security balance between Syria and Israel and how to address the concerns of regional countries on this matter,” Fidan said.

He noted that Washington was trying to play a constructive role in issues involving the Druze population in southern Syria and the PKK/YPG terrorist organization’s presence in the northeast, which was welcomed as an important step for Syria’s stability.

Fidan also pointed out that meetings included a possible UN Security Council resolution on Gaza and the idea of an international stabilization force, adding that Türkiye’s views were shared with potential actors involved and that mutual assessments were made.

Talks on Russia–Ukraine

Fidan said that advancing the Russia–Ukraine talks was discussed, noting that this was an important issue.

He said that in his meeting with Witkoff, they addressed the situation in Ukraine and how both countries could play a role in resolving it.

He added that there were opportunities to exchange views on how to move the talks further and overcome stalled points between Russia and Ukraine.

“We also discussed ongoing issues in the Gaza ceasefire process, how we can overcome them, and how to make the ceasefire more resilient to such challenges,” Fidan said.

- Türkiye–Egypt cooperation on Middle East issues

Noting that Türkiye and Egypt have worked in close cooperation with regional and international actors since the Gaza crisis began, he said the two countries collaborate closely in key areas.

He reaffirmed Türkiye’s determination to demonstrate its solidarity with Palestine through humanitarian aid and described joint Turkish–Egyptian humanitarian efforts for Gaza as historic.

Fidan said they discussed making this cooperation more institutional, including delivering humanitarian aid to other crisis regions, particularly in Africa, where the two countries share common interests.

He also noted that discussions included how to halt the genocide in Gaza, recalling that the Contact Group established on this issue has been working determinedly for two years.

“The main question is how to advance this issue, especially within international platforms like the UN. We have been working seriously on this. The commitment shown by the US, especially President Trump, is extremely important. The meeting held here in New York was a historic turning point.

“The fact that Egypt, Türkiye and six other Muslim countries came together with President Trump to discuss the matter in detail—and highlighted that the region’s lasting peace is at risk not only because of Palestine, but more broadly—was very significant. The ceasefire process that began afterward was a major step,” he said.

Fidan underscored the need to advance the two-state solution, noting that he has been working closely with his Egyptian counterpart on this issue.

He added that since these three areas (humanitarian aid, ceasefire and political resolution) follow different paths, they require different approaches.

He referred to the ongoing coordination through UN Security Council, Arab League and Organization of Islamic Cooperation meetings, as well as with European partners, saying they have shared “moments of sorrow, joy, and frustration” together.

“We have always acted with brotherly solidarity,” Fidan said.

“We have always believed we are on the right side — on the side of truth, peace, and justice. There has never been any reason for us to step back. We have continued our cooperation with full strength and professionalism, and we will keep doing so. We know that even if we solve one problem, the next one will not be easier — that’s the nature of it. The key is to keep working together more closely, more professionally, and more in coordination.”

He concluded by noting that while they mainly focused on crisis and security issues, the meeting also covered topics of trade, transport and energy, which are vital for the welfare of both nations, and agreed these areas should also receive greater attention.

Expressing his condolences for the soldiers who were martyred in the crash of a military cargo plane on the Azerbaijan–Georgia border, Fidan said: “May God have mercy on our martyrs. My deepest condolences to our nation. We are maintaining close contact with the Georgian authorities regarding the accident. I would like to once again express our gratitude for their swift support in the search and rescue efforts.”