UPDATE - Gaza 'heavy burden on conscience' of world, says Turkish foreign minister

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By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Friday that a permanent cease-fire has to be reached in the Gaza Strip and the door should be opened to a two-state solution between Palestine and Israel.

"It has become an indispensable responsibility to end this great tragedy and massacre experienced by our Gazan brothers as soon as possible and to ensure that concrete steps are taken towards this end," Fidan told Turkish reporters at a news conference in Washington.

Fidan is on a two-day visit to the US to meet Secretary of State Antony Blinken to discuss relations, regional and international issues, particularly the situation in Gaza.

A Türkiye-U.S. Strategic Mechanism meeting was held during his visit and Fidan met high-level US officials, including US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, Benjamin Cardin, the chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Phil Gordon, National Security Advisor to US Vice President Kamala Harris.

Fidan said Türkiye shared views on the urgent need for humanitarian aid to Gaza.

"Such a level of consensus has never been achieved in any event in the world," said Fidan, adding some countries, like Türkiye, want an uninterrupted permanent cease-fire.

Fidan said international organizations, especially the UN, and many countries feel obliged to do something about the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

He said the US’s approach to establishing a temporary port in Gaza to get aid was a result of the reaction by the international community.

"Because this is not only a heavy burden on the conscience, but also appears to be a fuse that will mobilize and ignite the countries' own societies in an unexpected way," he said.

The minister added some countries are "blind and deaf" when it comes to Israeli actions.

"The deliberate murder of more than 30,000 innocent civilians in Gaza, of course, represents a new point in oppression," he said, and the continuation of the crisis is an "unbearable reality."

Israel launched a destructive military campaign in the Gaza Strip in response to an Oct. 7 attack by the Palestinian group, Hamas, which Tel Aviv said killed less than 1,200 people.

More than 30,000 Palestinians have since been killed with the majority of the 2.3 million residents displaced and many starving amid a worsening humanitarian catastrophe.

- Fight against terrorism

The US continues to support the YPG/PKK terror organization in Syria, Fidan said.

"We once again underlined our dissatisfaction with the relations with the YPG in Syria and the strategic danger this poses between the two countries and the two NATO partners," he added.

Fidan emphasized that he clearly conveyed to his interlocutors that the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup in Türkiye, is still a threat and that the US needs to take a step in this regard.

Türkiye will continue to fight against all terrorist groups that pose a threat to the country within or outside its borders within the framework of legitimate national and international law, Fidan said.

"No one can stop us from doing this," he added.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated Wednesday that Türkiye is resolute in its fight against terrorism.

"We maintain our will to create a 30-40 kilometer deep security corridor along our Syrian border. We are determined to fill with new steps the gaps in this corridor, part of which we have already established with our previous operations.

"As we have openly told them in person, we call on all in the region to respect this security strategy of ours. Otherwise, they themselves will be the reason for potential tensions. We have preparations that will cause new nightmares to those who assume they can bring Türkiye to its knees by establishing a ‘terroristan’ along our southern borders," Erdogan warned.

Türkiye has long complained of the US working with the PKK/YPG on the pretext of fighting Daesh/ISIS. Turkish officials say using one terrorist group to fight another makes no sense.

Ankara has launched a trio of successful anti-terror operations since 2016 across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018) and Peace Spring (2019).

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US and the European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.

The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian offshoot.

- Russia-Ukraine war

Fidan also said they discussed the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and the risks that poses for the region, especially to the security of the Black Sea and grain security.

Stressing that Russia and Ukraine are not at the point of coming to the table right now, Fidan said: "We, as a third eye from the outside, now need a ground for conversation."

"This war needs to stop, a basis for dialogue is needed to prevent the spread of greater risks," he added.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday met with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Istanbul to discuss the recent developments.

"Since the beginning, we have made, and continue to make every contribution in our power for the termination of the war on the basis of negotiations. We are ready to host a peace summit in which Russia will also participate," Erdogan said.

Türkiye, internationally praised for its unique mediator role between Ukraine and Russia, has time and again called on Kyiv and Moscow to end the fighting through negotiations.

Erdogan has repeatedly stressed his wish to bring Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskyy together in Türkiye for formal discussions to end the conflict.

- Bilateral ties with US

On relations with the US, Fidan said both countries have the opportunity to continue by opening a new page with a “renewed psychology and a more positive agenda.”

He emphasized that Turkish-American relations have a long history and the reflex to solve problems.

He said that there is a vision to increase the trade volume from $30 billion to $100 billion, and they had discussions about how to achieve it.

“While managing the problems we are currently experiencing, it is also important to realize opportunities where the two countries can explore the common potential and opportunities they can produce,” he said.

Regarding Türkiye's purchase of F-16 fighter jets, Fidan said the political process regarding F-16s has been completed and the technical processes regarding the production and delivery of the aircraft have begun.

"What follows is actually the technical process. It is a process that will continue between ministries of defense and relevant companies," he added.

The US sent Türkiye draft letters of offers and acceptance regarding its request to buy Block-70 F-16 fighter jets and modernization kits, according to the Turkish National Defense Ministry.

The US State Department approved on Jan. 27, the pending $23 billion sale of F-16 aircraft and modernization kits to Türkiye after Ankara greenlighted Sweden’s NATO membership.

Türkiye requested from the US in October 2021 40 new F-16 Block 70 aircraft, as well as 79 modernization kits to upgrade its remaining F-16s to Block 70 level.

Türkiye was part of the F-35 program before being suspended concerning a dispute about Ankara buying the S-500 Russian air defense system after Ankara’s efforts to buy US Patriot missiles were rebuffed.