Türkiye's EU accession process is too important to be left to the limited "political agendas of some countries," Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said.
"I reiterated that Türkiye's EU membership process is too important to be left to the narrow political agendas of some countries," said Fidan on Wednesday in a joint news conference with his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares.
Ceasefire in Gaza
Both leaders discussed war in Palestine's Gaza and reiterated the call for urgent ceasefire.
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno on his part expressed the urgency of a swift and lasting ceasefire in the besieged Gaza, where Israeli attacks since last October have killed more than 31,000 Palestinians and more than half of the population is facing catastrophic levels of hunger.
“We expressed the need for an immediate and permanent ceasefire. We said that unconditional humanitarian aid must reach Gaza,’’ Albares told a press conference with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan in Ankara.
Peace in Middle East
Albares highlighted Spain's significant increase in humanitarian aid since the conflict's onset, and reiterated the call for the release of all hostages.
Albares paid an official visit to Türkiye for a bilateral meeting with Fidan, and discussed Türkiye-EU relations and current regional and international developments including the crisis in Gaza and other challenges in the Middle East.
He said they also talked about “what efforts they can make and how peace can be restored in the Middle East."
“Spain is strengthening its peace policy with the whole world and its partners,’’ he said.
The establishment of a permanent state of Palestine
Albares emphasised that “future of peace in the region’’ necessitates the “establishment of a permanent state of Palestine.’’
“The state of Palestine must be established permanently,’’ he said.
Stressing the importance of enduring peace, the Spanish minister highlighted that ‘’security, peace, and stability’’ are essential not only for Palestinians and Israelis but also ‘’for all nations in the Middle East.’’
He underscored the “significant role Türkiye plays", particularly in light of the ‘’major crisis currently facing’’ the world.
This crisis has been thoroughly deliberated upon in “brainstorming sessions’’ between the foreign ministers, Albares said.
