Turkish deputy foreign minister says Türkiye-Qatar relations rapidly growing

By Gokhan Celiker

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Yasin Ekrem Serim said Sunday that relations between Türkiye and Qatar are rapidly developing in all areas and have a "strategic character based on mutual trust."

Serim, speaking to the Al Jazeera news network about his visit to Qatar and current international developments, said he was very pleased to visit Qatar after two years.

He expressed his gratitude for the hospitality shown by Qatari officials and noted that he has had regular contacts with Qatar’s Minister of State for International Cooperation, Lolwah Rashid Al Khater, regarding humanitarian aid to Gaza since March.

"Since the beginning of the crisis, Türkiye and Qatar have been responsible for a significant portion of the aid delivered to Gaza," he said.

He highlighted the positive relations between the two countries, saying "Türkiye-Qatar relations are rapidly developing in all areas and have a strategic character based on mutual trust."

He noted that the relationship between the two countries is built on "brotherly" sentiments and that significant progress has been made in all areas.

Emphasizing continuous contact between the two countries, Serim referred to high-level mutual visits and meetings.

Serim condemned the massacres in Gaza and stressed the importance of intensifying cooperation with regional countries on this issue.

He declared that the world has been informed that "there will be no silence in the face of the oppression in Gaza" and reiterated that "the Palestinian cause has always been our common ground. We will never leave our Palestinian brothers alone."

Serim emphasized the need to stop the bloodshed in Gaza and to prevent the spread of the conflict to Lebanon and the entire region.

He said the UN Security Council’s decision on June 10 to approve a resolution endorsing a cease-fire plan in Gaza was a significant step towards ending the massacre there.

He also welcomed the International Court of Justice's decision ordering Israel to stop its attacks on the southern city of Rafah and to open the Rafah border crossing for humanitarian aid, reaffirming ongoing support for Palestine.

Serim stressed the need to end the Israeli occupation and work towards a two-state solution, praising mediation efforts and affirming continued contributions to these efforts.

He added that having a state is the most natural right of the Palestinian people.

*Writing by Alperen Aktas from Istanbul