Ankara: The Palestinian group Hamas is showing that it is willing to take constructive steps to ensure that the current ceasefire in Gaza is permanent, and Israel should have the same understanding, Trkiye's foreign minister said Wednesday.
According to National News Agency - Lebanon, Hakan Fidan, during a joint news conference in the Turkish capital Ankara with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty, emphasized the importance of the Gaza Strip as an integral part of Palestine and its need to be treated as such.
Expressing great pleasure in hosting Egypt's foreign minister, Fidan noted that Abdelatty has been received by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He praised the vision and will of the presidents of their two nations, mentioning that they are making significant progress in the bilateral ties between the two countries.
Fidan highlighted that the first meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) held on September 4, 2024, marked a turning point for relations between Trkiye and Egypt. As foreign ministers, Fidan and Abdelatty are coordinating the cooperation process across various fields, aiming to strengthen ties further.
He noted that they co-chaired the first meeting of the Trkiye-Egypt Joint Planning Group, where representatives from relevant institutions attended and addressed aspects of their relations in detail, reviewing the current status of agreements under negotiation. Fidan expressed the goal of having these agreements ready for signature by the second HLSCC meeting next year to bolster the contractual foundation of their relations.
Fidan pointed out that Egypt is Trkiye's largest trade partner in Africa, with the bilateral trade volume between the two countries increasing by 11% in 2024 compared to the previous year, approaching $9 billion. He stated the intention to increase this number to $15 billion and highlighted the role of Turkish companies in Egypt.
The discussions also included plans to deepen cooperation in strategic areas such as transportation, connectivity, energy, and hydrocarbons. Fidan mentioned recent progress in military cooperation, with Cairo and Ankara aiming to advance their militaries and security dialogues through reciprocal visits and exercises.
Fidan added that joint projects developed with public institutions and companies will further strengthen the partnership between the two nations. He announced that a joint statement would be issued following the first meeting of the Trkiye-Egypt Joint Planning Group, documenting the goals and roadmap for the upcoming period.