By Janet Ekstract ISTANBUL – On the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference on Friday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss the Gaza ceasefire and Syria. It was their first face-to-face meeting since Rubio was appointed secretary of state. Fidan reiterated how crucial it is to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict for regional peace, according to a Turkish foreign ministry source. Their discussion also focused on a peace proposal for Ukraine and Russia with Fidan expressing the Turkish viewpoint on measures that countries in the Middle East should take against the terrorist group known as ISIL or Daesh. The two diplomats also focused on trade relations especially the defense industry and other bilateral issues.
Turkiye has rejected U.S. President Trump’s plan on Gaza that would see at least two million Palestinians displaced from the Gaza Strip with the U.S. controlling the land. Fidan held individual meetings with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock at the conference. Fidan stressed to Lammy, how crucial Syria’s political solidarity is and how important it is to support the new Syrian government and reiterated the need for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. The Turkish foreign minister discussed with Baerbock, developments related to the Ukraine-Russia conflict, Syria’s security situation and transatlantic relations.
