Turkish, US top diplomats discuss regional developments
ANKARA
Turkish and U.S. top diplomats, Hakan Fidan and Antony Blinken, respectively, have exchanged a phone conversation to discuss regional developments amid renewed efforts for a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza.
According to the diplomatic sources, Fidan and Blinken held a phone call late on Oct. 24 as the latter is on a tour to countries in the Middle East to end the war in Gaza.
Fidan told his counterpart that a cease-fire should be declared in Gaza without delay as the humanitarian conditions in the enclave have reached catastrophic levels. The Turkish minister reiterated the need to ensure uninterrupted humanitarian aid to the territory.
Fidan said Israel should end its attacks on Lebanon, and underscored that all parties must exercise restraint to avoid a regional war.
Türkiye has long been warning of a regional war as a result of Israel’s attacks against Iran and Lebanon which triggered retaliation from these countries.
The two ministers also discussed the latest situation in Ukraine, where the Russian occupation of the Ukrainian territories has continued since February 2022. Recently, calls for a lasting agreement between the two warring sides are growing.
During the phone conversation, Blinken expressed condolences over Oct. 23’s terrorist attack on Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) headquarters in the capital Ankara, which claimed the lives of five people and injured 22 others.
