Turkey is ready to stop Israeli-Palestinian conflict, says Prez Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Istanbul: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday that Turkiye is ready to do its part to stop the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and reduce escalated tension, but a two-state solution is the only way to achieve peace.
"Turkiye is ready to do its best to stop the clashes as soon as possible and reduce the tension that has escalated with the recent incidents," Erdogan said at the inauguration ceremony of a Syriac Orthodox Church in Istanbul.
He said the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is the root of the problems in the region, and lasting peace is only possible through a final settlement.
"We are determined to intensify and continue our diplomatic efforts to restore calm," Erdogan said, urging the conflicting sides to avoid taking steps that would escalate the tension and deepen the problem.
Erdogan said the issue must be resolved in accordance with international law so the region can achieve lasting peace and stability.
Turkey's Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, engaged in discussions with counterparts from the United States, Palestine, Spain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt, and Jordan regarding the situation.
On Sunday, President Erdogan cautioned against exacerbating the situation and expressed Turkey's willingness to take all necessary steps to mitigate tensions and put an end to the violence.
Turkey, which has supported Palestinians in the past, hosted members of the Islamist group Hamas which launched the attack on Israel.
(With UNI/XINHUA inputs)