Turkish foreign minister to attend Türkiye-ASEAN meeting

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will visit the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur to attend the 7th Trilateral Meeting of the Türkiye-ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partnership as part of the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting on July 10-11, said Turkish diplomatic sources.

At the trilateral meeting, which will be attended by Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan, representing the current chair of ASEAN, and ASEAN Secretary-General Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Fidan is expected to underscore that the Asia-Pacific region lies "at the heart of geopolitical, economic and environmental challenges."

He will also state that Ankara, which is closely monitoring developments in the region, supports effective multilateralism.

Fidan will highlight that Türkiye values cooperation, inclusivity and dialogue with regional countries based on mutual benefit and common priorities within the framework of the country's Asia Anew Initiative.

Expressing Türkiye's readiness to contribute in areas in which joint efforts are needed, such as natural disasters, transnational crime, development, disruptions in trade supply chains, poverty and food security, he will also underscore Türkiye's principled stance and diplomatic approach to resolving regional crises, including in Ukraine and Gaza.

He will also underscore the threat posed by Israel's aggression to peace and stability in the region and beyond, highlighting that a two-state solution to the Palestinian issue is essential for resolving all problems in the Middle East.

Fidan is expected to point out that the failure of global mechanisms to produce solutions has made joint efforts more crucial.

He also will touch on the concrete contributions Ankara can offer to support these collective initiatives.

He is expected to meet with his counterparts on the margins of the ASEAN meeting.

Fidan last participated in a trilateral meeting on July 26, 2024, in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, as part of the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting.