Türkiye must provide more support for Egypt, a frontier in the Palestinian issue, and the Gaza conflict should not be left alone, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Friday.
At a joint news conference with Kosovo’s Foreign Minister Donika Gervalla-Schwarz in Pristina, Fidan praised Egypt’s role in delivering humanitarian aid to besieged Gaza and brokering cease-fire negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
He also said Ankara and Cairo have a “strong commitment” to deepening their ties and regional relations.
He added that formalizing the relationship “within a more systematic framework” could serve as a model for the region.
Fidan’s remarks follow Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi’s visit to Türkiye on Wednesday and meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
“We’re also exchanging views with the Egyptians on ensuring stability in Africa,” Fidan said, stressing the need for cooperation to stop conflicts in Libya, Somalia and Sudan.
Erdoğan and el-Sissi, who opened a new chapter in ties this year after more than a decade of tensions, said Türkiye and Egypt prioritize halting Israel’s attacks, which killed at least 41,000 Palestinians, and achieving a permanent cease-fire.
Fidan praised Türkiye’s relations with Kosovo and said Ankara wants to institutionalize their ties with a long-term approach to issues like economy, security and the fight against terrorism.
Kosovo, home to a sizable centuries-old Turkish community, has close ties with Ankara. Türkiye was among the first countries to recognize Balkan independence in 2008. The country is also among the major investors in the country, which sought to reshape its economy after the 1998-1999 war.
When NATO dispatched a peacekeeping force to the country, Türkiye joined the Kosovo Force (KFOR) of the alliance. The Turkish military currently holds the rotating command of the force.
Fidan lamented the continued presence of the Gülenist Terrorist Group (FETÖ) in Kosovo and warned that the group, responsible for a bloody coup attempt in Türkiye in July 2016, was a threat to Kosovo, as well.
He urged Kosovo to fight against FETÖ with determination for its national security.
