Turkey's Erdoğan discusses Jerusalem status with Pope Francis
In a telephone conversation on Friday, Turkey's president and Pope Francis talked on the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
- World
- DPA
- Published Date: 12:00 | 29 December 2017
- Modified Date: 07:06 | 29 December 2017
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pope Francis discussed the issue of Jerusalem in a phone call on Friday, Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency reported, after US President Donald Trump's decision to recognize the city as Israel's capital.
On December 21, the UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favour of a resolution demanding that the US rescind its unilateral decision on Jerusalem.
Both Erdoğan and the pope said they were happy with the UN vote result "against the wrong step taken by the US," Anadolu reported.
Both leaders also agreed to meet to discuss bilateral relations and international issues, Anadolu added, without giving a specific date.
The Vatican confirmed that the conversation occurred on Friday but did not address what the men discussed.
"The conversation took place on the initiative of the Turkish president," Vatican spokeswoman Paloma Garcia Ovejero told dpa.
Among the fiercest critics of the Jerusalem move, Erdoğan has said the decision rewarded Israel for "terrorist actions."
Having previously criticized the US' policy change on Jerusalem's status, the pope called on Monday for a "negotiated solution."