Turkey’s Erdogan accuses Israel of undermining peace initiatives

Turkey’s Erdogan accuses Israel of undermining peace initiatives

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey has stepped up diplomatic contacts to achieve a ceasefire.

Tayyip Erdogan
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the Iran war as ‘unlawful, senseless, illegitimate, and extremely costly’. (EPA Images pic)
ISTANBUL:
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday accused Israel of undermining all efforts to halt the war in the Middle East, but said Ankara would continue to pursue any opportunity to advance a ceasefire.

“The Israeli government has continued to undermine all initiatives aimed at ending the war,” Erdogan said following a weekly cabinet meeting in the Turkish capital.

“If there is even the slightest chance to silence the weapons and open space for negotiations, we are making sincere efforts to seize it,” he added.

“Our hope is that this unlawful, senseless, illegitimate, and extremely costly war for all humanity will come to an end as soon as possible.”

Erdogan also said Turkey has stepped up diplomatic contacts to achieve a ceasefire.

“As the war drags on, we have warned that the fire could spread to other countries. As we leave behind the 38th day of the conflict, we unfortunately continue to carry the same concerns for our region,” he said.

“In the face of increasing risks, I, as president, on one hand, and our ministers on the other, are accelerating our diplomatic contacts,” he added.

Turkey has attempted to mediate an end to the hostilities, notably through negotiations conducted with Pakistan and Egypt.

Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan on Monday met with the US ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, who called the meeting “productive”.

“Turkiye’s partnership continues to be vital as we work toward @POTUS’s (Trump’s) vision for a more secure region,” the ambassador said on X, using Turkey’s official name.

Fidan also spoke on the phone with his Iranian counterpart to discuss “the course of war and other developments”, a Turkish diplomatic source said.

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