According to information obtained from Ministry of Foreign Affairs sources, the R4+E3 Foreign Ministers Meeting, hosted by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan, in Istanbul with the participation of Italy, started.
It is envisaged that the meetings will discuss regional issues, especially the Palestine issue, the situation in Hormuz, developments related to Yemen and the search for a solution to the Russia-Ukraine War, and discuss cooperation and coordination opportunities that can be implemented between the R4 and E3 countries in the future.
Minister Fidan is expected to emphasize in his addresses at the meetings that regional security requires the regional countries to assume responsibility, and that Türkiye gives priority to strengthening cooperation mechanisms based on regional ownership in line with this understanding.
Fidan, who will state that existing conflicts should not be allowed to feed each other, conflicts to spread to new areas, and regional tensions to turn into wider instability, is expected to underline again and again that Israel's ongoing occupation in Palestine, its uncompromising attitude that disrupts the peace efforts of the international community, and its aggression spreading throughout the region are the main reasons for the tensions in the Middle East.
Fidan is expected to state that all states should avoid actions that could damage the historical and legal status of Jerusalem and harm the two-state solution efforts, and to draw attention to the importance of the international community taking a determined stance and increasing pressure on Israel against Israel taking steps to expand illegal settlements and encouraging illegal settler terrorism.
Fidan is expected to state that the conflict between the USA and Iran can only be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue, that military methods do not offer a permanent solution and that they trigger vulnerabilities in the region and bring the risk of a wider conflict, and will emphasize that the permanent establishment of freedom of navigation in the Straits of Hormuz and Babulmandeb is vital for regional and global stability.
Fidan is expected to confirm Türkiye's support for maintaining the security of Saudi Arabia in the face of Houthis' attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, and to point out the importance of the solidarity and common security understanding put forward by the Mecca Defense Alliance.
Fidan, who is expected to state that R4 and E3 countries have made valuable contributions to strengthening stability and prosperity in Syria and to point out that Israel continues its actions aimed at destabilizing Syria, will emphasize that Türkiye, as a riparian country, continues to convey its warnings and solution proposals to the parties in order to prevent the spread of the Russia-Ukraine War to the Black Sea and to end the loss of civilian lives in the Black Sea.
Minister Fidan is also expected to reiterate that Türkiye is ready to provide all kinds of support to end this war through dialogue and diplomacy, drawing attention to the risks posed by the intensifying conflicts between Russia and Ukraine for regional security.
The R4 mechanism was created by Türkiye, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to support permanent stability and strengthen dialogue on regional issues, based on the understanding of regional ownership.
R4 Foreign Ministers have held six meetings to date, the first of which was in Riyadh on March 18. The last meeting in this format was held in New York on 21 September on the margins of the UN General Assembly High-Level Week.
The E3 mechanism, consisting of Germany, England and France, emerged within the scope of tripartite diplomatic cooperation regarding Iran's nuclear program since 2003, and over time, it turned into a structure that carries out joint diplomatic initiatives on different regional and international issues.
