For the first time in 13 years, Türkiye participates in the Arab Foreign Ministers’ meeting

Turkey is participating today, Tuesday, in the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Arab League for the first time after an absence of 13 years.

Turkish diplomatic sources told Anadolu Agency that Ankara has been invited to attend the 162nd regular session of the Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting, scheduled to be held in the Egyptian capital, Cairo.

The sources stated that Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will deliver a speech at the opening session of the meeting, in which he will address regional issues, especially Gaza, in addition to relations between Turkey and the Arab League.

She also noted that Turkey, with its "strong and effective" foreign policy, has increasingly contributed to efforts to establish stability, peace and prosperity.

She stressed that many of the issues on the Arab League's agenda, especially Palestine, are among the priority issues on the Turkish foreign policy agenda.

The sources also pointed out that Turkey's developing relations with Arab countries in recent years provide new opportunities in the context of searching for solutions to existing problems in the region and tangible future cooperation based on mutual benefit.

The sources reported that Minister Fidan's invitation to the meeting reflects the development of bilateral relations with member states and the interest in the Turkish role in the region.

It is noteworthy that Turkey's relations with the Arab League began to develop since 2003, and a "Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey and the General Secretariat of the Arab League" was signed in 2004.

On September 13, 2011, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a speech at the opening session of the Arab League meeting, during his tenure as Prime Minister at the time.

(Anatolia)