UPDATE - Turkish FM hints Kabul visit with counterparts from ‘friendly’ countries

UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS FROM TURKISH FM, CHANGES IN HEADLINE, DECK, BODY

By Nazli Yuzbasioglu and Behlul Cetinkaya

ANKARA (AA) – Turkey’s foreign minister on Tuesday said he may soon visit the Afghan capital Kabul with a group of counterparts from friendly countries.

“We follow the situation in Afghanistan closely. We are planning to go to Kabul with some other foreign ministers soon," Mevlut Cavusoglu told a joint news conference with his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi in the capital Ankara.

Cavusoglu said he discussed the potential visit with Retno during their meeting in New York on the sidelines of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly.

Some other friendly ministers also “loved the idea," Cavusoglu said, adding: "We will plan for this in the coming days.”

His remarks came as Afghanistan faces an economic and humanitarian crisis in the wake of the Taliban's takeover in mid-August.

- Turkish president to visit Indonesia

Noting that Retno's visit is her first bilateral visit at the Foreign Ministry level, Cavusoglu highlighted close relations with her Indonesian counterpart.

“Retno is one of the foreign ministers I have met the most since the day I became a minister and hosted the most in Turkey on different occasions. We also talk on the phone often,” he added.

Pointing out that Indonesia is one of Turkey's most important partners in the Asia-Pacific, Cavusoglu said they also discussed the details of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's planned visit to Indonesia.

He said they talked about the establishment of a High-Level Strategic Council, and that the first meeting will be held during Erdogan's visit.

Cavusoglu said Turkey and Indonesia will not only provide medicines and PPE to each other during the time of coronavirus, but will also start joint production.

In a tweet, he said they "mutually recognized vaccine certificates" as well as "signed agreements on development & pharmaceutical production."