Turkey carries out hectic diplomacy for Jerusalem

ANKARA

Turkey has intensified its diplomatic efforts on the eve of the extraordinary meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in Istanbul where the controversial relocation of the United States Embassy to Jerusalem and Israel’s killing of Palestinians will be discussed. 

Both President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu have engaged in a hectic diplomacy while they spoke with their counterparts from scores of Islamic countries in the last 24 hours.

Erdoğan, who was in London, held phone conversations with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Jordanian King Abdullah II, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, and Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah on May 15.

The leaders discussed the United States’ relocation of its embassy to Jerusalem and the assault of Israeli troops against Palestinians, sources said on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking with the media.

They also discussed possible steps to be taken over Israeli violence ahead of a planned OIC emergency meeting on May 18 in Istanbul.

Erdoğan and the Kuwaiti Emir stressed the importance of showing a common stance by Muslim countries against Israeli violence in Palestine, the sources said.

Erdoğan meets Rouhani’s envoy 

In the meantime, Erdoğan, who returned to Ankara from London early on May 16, was scheduled to meet Iranian President Hasan Rouhani’s special envoy Mahmoud Vaizi at the headquarters of the Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Çavuşoğlu talks to his counterparts 

Separately, Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu spoke on the phone with his counterparts mainly from Islamic countries on May 15. Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdul Malik el-Mahlavi, Oman Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi, Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz and Burkina Faso Foreign Minister Alpha Barry are among the colleagues with whom Çavuşoğlu spoke with.

The foreign minister also spoke with Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, Somalian Foreign Minister Ahmed Isse Awad, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza Montserrat, Jordanian Foreign Minister Eymen es-Safedi, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, Iranian Foreign Minister Javed Zareef, OIC Secretary-General Yousef bin Ahmad al-Othaimeen, Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled al-Hamadal-Sabah and Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani.