ANKARA: Turkish foreign minister will discuss the Gaza war and ties with the Arab League during a ministerial meeting of the group in Cairo on Tuesday for the first time in 13 years, western media reported on Monday quoted a Turkish diplomatic source as saying.
Turkey has strongly condemned Israel for its war against Hamas in Gaza and joined steps towards Israel facing genocide charges at the World Court.
After the war in Gaza started, Turkey joined a joint contact group established at a summit of the Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to seek an end to the war.
The Turkish source said the invitation to Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan showed a growing interest in Turkey’s regional role and improving relations with Arab League members. The source added that Ankara wanted to enhance institutional ties and cooperation with the group.
Turkey’s ties with Arab League members can help to find solutions to current regional problems, the source said.
Turkey and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are also holding talks on reaching a free trade agreement by the end of the year. President Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday called for an alliance of Islamic countries against Israeli expansionism threat.
The last time Turkey attended an Arab League meeting was in 2011 when Erdogan, who was then prime minister, addressed the group’s ministers in Cairo.
