Türkiye hails Brazil's stance on Gaza: Foreign minister

Türkiye applauds Brazil's stance on the ongoing crisis in the Gaza Strip, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Wednesday at a joint news conference with his Brazilian counterpart Mauro Vieira in the capital Ankara.

Fidan highlighted that the two countries had overlapping approaches concerning global developments in many areas and said they share largely the same sensitivities with Brazil on the issue of Gaza and Israel's ongoing attacks on the Palestinian enclave.

He expressed Ankara's appreciation for Brazil's solidarity with Palestine, adding that Brasilia was "actively working for the official recognition of Palestine as a full UN member."

"Countries that unconditionally support Israel continue to turn a blind eye to this massacre. Not only that, but they also keep providing Israel with arms and ammunition incessantly. The situation is crystal clear," Fidan said.

He said the "fundamentalist government" of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continued its "systematic massacre" of Palestinians, adding "Türkiye will not stand idly by amid the ongoing massacre in Gaza."

"From our Arab brothers within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to our friends within BRICS, everyone is concerned about the tragedy in Gaza. Those who ignore the massacre are morally responsible," he said.

Fidan stressed that the "only way for the bloodshed in Gaza to stop is through a two-state solution."

"Türkiye welcomes Brazil's support for South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice," he added.

Israel has killed more than 37,200 Palestinians in Gaza since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023 which claimed the lives of around 1,200 Israelis and foreigners while around 250 others were taken hostage.

As many as 105 captives were released as part of a brief truce in November in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.

Around 125 people remain captive, with many of them believed to be dead due to Israeli airstrikes.

Nearly eight months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which in its latest ruling has ordered it to immediately halt its operation in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza where more than a million displaced Palestinians had sought refuge.

TÜRKIYE-BRAZIL TIES

Fidan said he and Vieira addressed all aspects of bilateral relations during their meeting and agreed to enhance political, economic and cultural ties between the two countries.

"Brazil is our largest trading partner in Latin America. Our trade volume reached $5 billion as of last year. We aim to further increase this in a balanced manner. We also discussed how we can increase mutual investments with my esteemed friend," he said.

On cooperation in the tourism sector, Fidan said they agreed to collaborate, noting that around 103,000 Brazilian tourists visited Türkiye last year and that they aimed to increase this number further.

RELATIONS BETWEEN GULF NATIONS, TÜRKIYE

Fidan said he attended the Türkiye-Gulf Cooperation Council High-Level Strategic Dialogue meeting of foreign ministers in Qatar's capital Doha, marking the first such meeting in eight years with the ongoing normalization process between Ankara and the region.

He said the meeting covered relations between Türkiye and the Gulf countries, Ankara's approach to global and regional issues with these nations, and the Palestinian issue.

Stating that seeing the joint will to improve bilateral relations and standing at the same point on the Palestinian issue empowered Türkiye, Fidan said he also held bilateral meetings in Doha, met with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Qatar's Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

Fidan also emphasized that their common desire to improve relations and aligning on the Palestinian issue empowered Türkiye. Additionally, he said he held bilateral talks in Doha with Qatar's Emir and prime minister.

The Turkish foreign minister also noted that he held a meeting with Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Palestinian group Hamas' Political Bureau, to discuss cease-fire negotiations with Israel, evaluate the current situation, and exchange views on ongoing talks.

He expressed satisfaction with the positive impact of these discussions on recent developments.

VISIT TO RUSSIA

Fidan also mentioned his recent official trip to Russia, where he was received by President Vladimir Putin and met with his counterpart Sergey Lavrov, along with Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu, the head of Russia's foreign intelligence service Sergey Naryshkin, presidential aide Igor Levitin, and other officials.

He said they extensively discussed bilateral and regional issues, particularly on the ongoing war in Ukraine and the situation in Syria.

Fidan added that they also addressed various topics including energy, trade, security and transportation and had in-depth discussions on the Palestinian issue and the South Caucasus.

Highlighting Russia's alignment with Türkiye on the Palestinian issue and positive response to Ankara's attitude on various matters, especially Ukraine, Fidan expressed satisfaction.

Regarding his meeting with representatives of the 120,000 Ahiska Turks living in Russia, Fidan said he listened to their experiences in Russia, describing the meeting as productive.

Emphasizing the significant importance of the upcoming BRICS+ meeting in Nizhny Novgorod, to which Türkiye is invited, he said it would be highly beneficial in understanding the BRICS agenda and listening to the views of its members firsthand.

He reaffirmed Türkiye's view that BRICS serves as an organization that enhances diversity in approach, identity and politics in the global economy.

Fidan also noted that he held bilateral meetings with the foreign ministers of Ethiopia, Cuba, Belarus and Kazakhstan during the visit.