New Zealand wants lasting peace, 2-state solution in Gaza, says foreign minister

By Can Efesoy

CANAKKALE, Türkiye (AA) – Describing the situation in Gaza as a “catastrophe”, New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters urged for the two-state solution for lasting peace in the Middle East.

“We want a permanent peace. We want a two-state solution as fast as possible. We want peace in Gaza. We cannot afford to look, stand by, and do nothing about this catastrophe,” Peters told Anadolu.

On children's deaths due to Israeli attacks on Gaza, Peters said: "We condemn any attack."

Peters stated that he did not differentiate based on gender or age in this regard, and that he considered any killing to be “immoral.”

“On a humanitarian level, we put a significant effort to make sure that we can help even though we are so far away from these centers of humanitarian disaster,” he added.

Peters said he considered the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas to be “terrorism.”

- Developing relations in economy between Türkiye, New Zealand

Peters said that New Zealand is doing many things in Türkiye, such as earthquake repairs and earthquake prevention efforts.

New Zealand is also working in the maritime sector in Türkiye, Peters further said.

"Our job is to examine every opportunity to have expanded economic relations. There are cultural and political relations with Türkiye. That's why we were spending so much time.”

Peters, who arrived in Türkiye on the occasion of Anzac Day, stated that during the period of the Canakkale Campaign, almost all New Zealand families were negatively affected by the war.

He added that this "disaster" of World War I has left its mark on their memories.

*Writing by Esra Tekin in Istanbul