Erdoğan extends Eid greetings to leaders
ANKARA-Anadolu Agency
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Aug. 1 spoke over the phone with leaders of several Muslim countries on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, one of the two most important Muslim holidays.
According to a statement by Turkey's Directorate of Communications, Erdoğan extended Eid greetings to Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kazakhstan’s founding President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Tajikistan’s Emomali Rahmon on the second day of the Eid al-Adha.
Later, the directorate said the Turkish leader also extended Eid greetings to his Pakistani counterpart Arif Alvi, Pakistani premier Imran Khan, Iraq's Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kazimi and Tunisia's parliament speaker Rached Ghannouchi.
They also discussed bilateral relations and regional issues, it added.
During their phone call, Erdoğan and Khan also covered a range of issues from coronavirus to strategic cooperation, according to the prime minister’s office.
Khan congratulated Erdoğan on reopening the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque for prayers and informed him that millions of Pakistanis watched the event live on television.
He recalled Erdoğan’s visit to Pakistan for the sixth session of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) in February and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to further fortify bilateral cooperation in all areas.
He also appreciated Turkey for its role in the global fight against COVID-19 and for extending support to a number of countries, including Pakistan.
Khan briefed Erdoğan on his government’s strategy to contain the spread of the virus in Pakistan and in particular its focus on saving lives, securing livelihoods and stimulating the economy.
Erdoğan and Khan also discussed the need for Pakistan and Turkey to jointly work for medicine development.
"The Pakistan-Turkey strategic relationship is underpinned by unique mutual trust, understanding and close cooperation," the statement said, adding that "Pakistan deeply appreciates Turkey’s steadfast support for the just cause of Kashmir, which President Erdoğan reaffirmed during his Address to the Joint Session of Parliament in February 2020."
The leaders agreed to stay in close contact on all issues of common interest.
Erdoğan also spoke over the phone with his counterparts from Afghanistan and Indonesia on Aug. 2.
According to a statement by Directorate of Communications, Erdoğan, Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and Joko Widodo exchanged greetings for Eid.
Most of the Muslim-majority countries around the world, including Turkey, are observing the four-day holiday that started on July 31.
