Turkey's FM meets counterpart in Israel in first visit in 15 years

Photo: AA

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After visiting Palestine yesterday (May 24), Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu met today with his counterpart in Israel, Yair Lapid.

Çavuşoğlu's visit is the first visit of a top diplomat from Turkey to Israel since the 2007 visit of the then-foreign minister, Ali Babacan.

Çavuşoğlu and Lapid addressed a joint press conference after the meetings between the ministers and delegations in western Jerusalem.

The minister said they have agreed with Israel to resume the technical meetings between ministries and relevant public agencies of the two countries.

"We have agreed to re-energize our relations in many areas, to establish different mechanisms and restart negotiations on civil aviation," he said.

Çavuşoğlu asserted that a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict is the only solution to it and improved relations between Turkey and Israel would contribute to the solution.

Lapid welcomed a "new chapter" in the relations and said he expects improvement in not only diplomatic and security affairs but also in economic relations.

Çavuşoğlu also noted that the two ministers have agreed to restart the initiative of a "joint economic commission."

Yesterday, Çavuşoğlu met Palestine's President Mahmud Abbas and Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki. He reportedly reassured him that the improvement in the Turkey-Israel relations will not cause Ankara's support for Palestine to reduce.

Turkey-Israel rapprochement

Turkey-Israel relations have recently become a talking point after President Isaac Herzog visited Turkey upon an invitation by President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Herzog expressed his appreciation for Erdoğan's "warm welcome" and said "all peoples, beliefs and states in our region can live in peace."

Erdoğan said the "historic" visit would be a "turning point" in bilateral relations. The improvement in the Turkey-Israel relations is of great importance for regional stability and peace, he said.

The trade volume between the two countries rose by nearly 36 percent despite the pandemic, he said, adding that "I believe we will increase this number to 10 billion dollars in 2022." (SD/VK)