Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said during an open dialogue session at the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum on Saturday that diplomacy remains the best way to resolve conflicts, whether in the Middle East, the Balkans, Ukraine, or the African continent.
He said that the international system established after World War II, represented by the United Nations system, and especially the Security Council, was shaken in the 1990s when the Soviet Union collapsed, noting that now is the right time to build a new international system that is wise and more representative of today's world.
Fidan: Israel is a state based on expansion, occupation, oppression, and murder, and works to ensure its security at the expense of the security of others.
But the Turkish minister excluded Israel from the principle of resolving conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy, because its foundation is expansion, occupation, oppression, and killing. He emphasized that this state works to ensure its own security at the expense of the security of others, occupying land, expelling populations, and waging a war of extermination in Gaza. He added, "It is now seeking to expand further into Lebanon and Syria under the pretext of security."
Fidan explained, “If Israel wants to guarantee its security, it must allow others to enjoy their sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, and freedom, and refrain from using force against them.” He added that Israeli threats are now affecting not only regional security but also global security, as is the case with the war against Iran.
Fidan: If Israel wants to guarantee its security, it only needs to allow others to enjoy their sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.
During the session, the Turkish minister noted that Europe has begun to distance itself from Israeli policies, while such a stance has not yet matured in the United States, and the path to achieving it remains long. He stated that the war of annihilation on Gaza served as a wake-up call for everyone, and that the pretexts of security, self-defense, and combating terrorism are no longer acceptable to many countries around the world, who are monitoring the settlers' violence and attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Some countries have even imposed sanctions on these settlers.
Regarding the Gaza peace plan, Fidan said that the first phase of it was not implemented well; the killing in Gaza has not stopped, and humanitarian aid is not arriving in sufficient quantities. “We are still assessing the situation before entering the second phase. Israel must first fulfill its obligations, as it is still preventing the entry of temporary housing and medical equipment.”
Regarding Ukraine, the Turkish minister stated that his country is in contact with both sides of the conflict, Russia and Ukraine, and that it understands their perspectives. He added that Turkey is attempting to engage with both sides and encourage them to engage in dialogue and implement a ceasefire. He said that Turkey will focus on the Ukrainian issue after the fighting in Iran and the Gulf region ceases. He commended Pakistan's role in mediating between Washington and Tehran, which led to a temporary ceasefire, and expressed his hope that the two sides will reach a peace agreement soon.
