ANKARA, Feb 18 (Reuters) – Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will travel to Washington in lieu of President Tayyip Erdogan for the inaugural meeting of U.S. President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” on Thursday, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday.
A Turkish diplomatic source told Reuters that Fidan, during the talks, would call for determined steps to resolve the Palestinian issue and emphasize that Israel must end actions to hinder the flow of aid into Gaza and stop its ceasefire violations.
Fidan will also reiterate Turkey’s readiness to contribute to Gaza’s reconstruction and its desire to help protect Palestinians and ensure their security, the source said. He will also call for urgent action against Israel’s “illegal settlement activities and settler violence in the West Bank”, the source added.
According to a readout from Erdogan’s office, the president separately told reporters on Wednesday that he hoped the Board of Peace would help achieve “the lasting stability, ceasefire, and eventually peace that Gaza has longed for”, and would focus on bringing about a two-state solution.
(Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Jonathan Spicer )
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