Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan Meets French Counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris
Paris, The Gulf Observer: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a productive meeting with his French counterpart, Jean-Noel Barrot, in Paris on Wednesday, where they discussed a wide range of bilateral and regional issues, according to sources from the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
One of the key points raised by Minister Fidan was the importance of increasing coordination with non-EU countries to shape a new security architecture for Europe. He emphasized Türkiye’s expectation that France would support the removal of artificial barriers hindering Türkiye-EU relations, urging the European Union to take concrete steps in this direction. The two also discussed the potential for updating the 1995 Turkish-EU Customs Union, a topic that remains crucial for enhancing trade and cooperation.
Fidan also reaffirmed Türkiye’s strong support for diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, stressing the importance of close cooperation among all NATO allies. He emphasized that any potential solution to the conflict must have the consent of both sides to ensure long-term sustainability.
On the subject of Syria, Fidan underscored the need for increased engagement with Syria’s new administration. He called for the complete lifting of sanctions, which he believes is necessary to help restore peace and stability in the region. He also conveyed Türkiye’s expectations concerning defence industry cooperation and reiterated the importance of combating the PKK/YPG terrorist group.
Regarding the ongoing situation in northern Syria, Fidan called for the repatriation of foreign terrorist fighters from Daesh who are currently detained in prisons and camps.
Israeli Aggression on Gaza
Minister Fidan also addressed the growing regional threat posed by Israeli attacks on Gaza, warning that Israel’s escalating actions could lead to greater instability in the region. He reiterated Türkiye’s opposition to the forced displacement of Palestinians from their homeland, reaffirming Türkiye’s strong support for the Gaza plan adopted by the Arab League. Fidan also condemned Israel’s obstruction of humanitarian aid to Gaza, calling it a major factor exacerbating the ongoing humanitarian crisis. He stressed the critical importance of ensuring the uninterrupted delivery of aid to the region.
Regional Stability and Cooperation
The two ministers discussed efforts to establish peace and stability in the Caucasus and reviewed steps to strengthen economic relations between Turkey and France, particularly in the energy sector.
In his remarks, Fidan also criticized the use of double standards against Türkiye, emphasizing that judicial processes should be allowed to proceed independently, citing recent cases in France and Romania as examples. He further noted that Türkiye is closely monitoring developments in France.
The meeting highlighted the ongoing dialogue between Türkiye and France on key regional and international issues, with both sides expressing a commitment to deepening their bilateral cooperation.
