Pakistan, Türkiye reaffirm coordination on Palestine and regional issues
By The South Asia Times
ISLAMABAD - Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan have reaffirmed close coordination on Palestine and other regional issues during a phone call, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said Thursday.
The two foreign ministers spoke late Wednesday and reviewed bilateral relations and regional developments of mutual interest, according to a statement issued by Pakistan's Foreign Ministry.
Dar and Fidan reaffirmed their shared position on the Palestinian issue and expressed support for a joint statement by eight Arab and Islamic countries welcoming the United Kingdom's decision to ban imports from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory and restrict services linked to those settlements.
They also backed a separate joint statement issued by the UK and other European countries concerning efforts to advance a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The two ministers also emphasized the importance of maintaining close consultations on regional developments through the Regional Four (R4) framework, which brings together Pakistan, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
The framework has emerged as a platform for the four countries to coordinate positions on major regional political and security issues.
Dar and Fidan agreed to meet on the sidelines of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York, where world leaders and senior officials are expected to discuss major international and regional crises.
The latest conversation comes as Pakistan and Türkiye continue to strengthen diplomatic coordination on Middle Eastern and wider regional developments, particularly the Gaza conflict and efforts to establish a lasting political settlement.
Pakistan has repeatedly supported the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with relevant UN resolutions.
