UPDATE - Turkish president meets Italian premier, Scotland's first minister on sidelines of COP28 in Dubai

2023 edition of UN climate summit set to continue until Dec. 12

UPDATES WITH DETAILS ON MEETING BEETWEEN TURKISH PRESIDENT RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER GIORGIA MELONI; ERDOGAN'S MEETINGS WITH HIS UZBEK,UAE COUNTERPART, JAPANESE PREMIER

By Muhammed Enes Calli

ISTANBUL (AA) - Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday met Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf on the sidelines of the UN climate summit, the Turkish Presidency said.

The meeting between Erdogan and Meloni addressed Israel's attacks on Gaza, Türkiye's humanitarian aid efforts, and the necessary steps to establish lasting peace in the region, the Turkish Communications Directorate said in a statement regarding the topics discussed in the meeting.

"During the meeting, President Erdogan stated that the humanitarian situation in the region is deteriorating by the day and that it is critical to take effective steps to stop Israel in order to put an end to deaths," it added.

"Stressing that the latest developments have once again revealed the importance of establishing an independent and sovereign State of Palestine within the 1967 borders in the region, President Erdogan pointed out the significance of close cooperation with Italy in this regard."

"Erdogan and Meloni also exchanged views on the defense industry, Turkey's EU accession, the modernization of the Customs Union, and the fight against terrorism."

- Meloni called for a new humanitarian pause

During the meeting, Italian Prime Minister Meloni called for a new humanitarian pause and stressed Türkiye’s role in avoiding spreading the conflict to the rest of the region, according a statement from her office.

"Both leaders reaffirmed their willingness to contribute to security and stability in this difficult phase of the region and the importance of starting to work towards a political solution now," the statement said.

The Italian Premier informed Erdogan on Rome’s humanitarian aid arriving via Egypt, specifically on the arrival of the Vulcano ship for the treatment of minor patients from Gaza and on the team of doctors supporting the Emirati hospitals.

The two leaders underlined the importance of maintaining close coordination on the evolution of the crisis, according to the statement.

- Erdogan also meets his Uzbek, UAE counterparts, Japanese premier

President Erdogan also held talks with Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the sidelines of the summit, according to Turkish Communications Directorate.

Both leaders discussed Türkiye-Uzbekistan relations and regional development, it said.

"President Erdogan stated during the meeting that the two countries will continue to strengthen their cooperation in all fields in the coming period," it added.

The Turkish president also met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on the margins of the event, the Turkish presidency said.

Meanwhile, Erdogan held talks with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The 2023 edition of the UN climate summit, commonly known as COP28, is attracting over 180 heads of state and governments from across the globe. Noteworthy is the substantial number of attendance requests, exceeding 500,000 participants.

The conference held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), will continue until Dec. 12.