UPDATE - Türkiye’s top officials to visit Pakistan next week over tensions with Afghanistan: President Erdogan

By Serdar Dincel and Beril Canakci

ISTANBUL (AA) - Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defense Minister Yasar Guler, and intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin will visit Islamabad next week to discuss tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Turkish president said on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters on his flight returning from Azerbaijan, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara is conducting mediation processes with Qatar to end the conflict between these two countries.

"Our goal is to put in place measures and mechanisms that will make the ceasefire sustainable and to permanently end terrorist incidents in the region," Erdogan noted.

Expressing hope for a permanent ceasefire and peace, he said Türkiye continues to advise the parties to exercise restraint.

- Humanitarian aid to Gaza

The Turkish president said preparations are underway to send containers from Türkiye’s earthquake zone to Gaza, adding that they will provide maximum support.

Ensuring the delivery of urgently needed supplies to Gaza is of utmost importance, Erdogan noted, calling it "not merely a matter of aid, but a matter of humanity."

Türkiye has sent food, medicine, shelter materials, health equipment, clothing, and hygiene products to Gaza, and its efforts to ship these items in the upcoming period continue, he added.

- Azerbaijan's Karabakh victory, bilateral ties

Stressing that winds of peace are blowing after Azerbaijan's Karabakh victory, he said Türkiye pursues the normalization process with Armenia in synchronization with Azerbaijan.

Ankara demonstrated its strongest support for Baku during the 44-day war in 2020, Erdogan stressed, underlining that Türkiye and Azerbaijan elevated the bilateral relations to the level of alliance with the 2021 Shusha Declaration.

The ties have also been bolstered through concrete projects in every field, he added.

He said that Ankara is following with appreciation the ongoing reconstruction and rehabilitation activities in Karabakh and continues to support these efforts.

The Turkish president welcomed the steps being taken as part of the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, reiterating Türkiye's satisfaction with the agreement reached between the parties in Washington, DC, on Aug. 8.

"The conclusion of the peace process as soon as possible will highlight Azerbaijan, the victor of the war, as the architect of peace in the region," Erdogan added.

Most of the Karabakh region, which had been under Armenian occupation for nearly three decades, was liberated by Azerbaijan during a 44-day war in the fall of 2020, which ended after a Russian-brokered peace agreement and also opened the door to normalization with Yerevan.

On Nov. 8, the Azerbaijani army liberated the city of Shusha, which was later declared as Victory Day by a presidential decree.

Initially, Victory Day was to be celebrated on Nov. 10, the day of the end of the Second Karabakh War, but this was later changed due to coinciding with the anniversary of the passing of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Türkiye.

- Civil war in Sudan

Regarding the ongoing conflict in Sudan, Erdogan said Türkiye cannot remain a bystander and will continue its diplomatic efforts to ensure peace and security in the country.

He called for an end to the fighting and urged dialogue to settle the disputes, emphasizing that Ankara stands by the Sudanese people.

Since April 15, 2023, the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have been locked in a war that regional and international mediations have failed to end. The conflict has killed thousands of people and displaced millions of others.

- F-35s, Eurofighter jets

Erdogan also noted that positive steps were taken regarding the F-35 fighter jets during his recent talks with US President Donald Trump, and expressed hope that the promises made will be kept.

Türkiye has taken positive steps with both the UK and Germany regarding the Eurofighter, Erdogan added, stating that Ankara is also in discussions with Qatar and Oman that might see Ankara procuring Eurofighter jets also from these two countries.