Minister Fidan Releases Statements at Antalya Diplomacy Forum Closing Day
The Antalya Diplomatic Forum concluded with Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan delivering the closing speech on its last day. The forum, organized for the third time this year, brought together a total of 19 heads of government and state, 2 heads of autonomous administrations, 64 ministers including 52 foreign ministers, a parliament speaker, 20 parliamentarians, and 20 foreign deputy ministers. Additionally, 57 high-level international and regional organization representatives participated in the forum, leading to intense bilateral meeting traffic on the sidelines.
Despite his busy schedule with the election campaign, President Erdogan met with 11 heads of state and government, while Minister Fidan had bilateral meetings with 32 of his counterparts. The forum featured 47 sessions discussing a range of topics including security, energy, regional issues, xenophobia, international trade, connectivity, mediation, artificial intelligence, digital diplomacy, and more.
During the forum, panelists highlighted the double standards and disregard for international law by some international actors, particularly in discussions regarding Gaza. The Gaza contact group panel focused on diplomatic initiatives to end violence against the Palestinian people, with the participation of Palestinian and Egyptian Foreign Ministers addressing steps to end oppression in Gaza.
Minister Fidan emphasized the forum’s role in generating new perspectives, ideas, and tasks, stating that they are leaving Antalya with valuable takeaways. In response to questions about the ceasefire in Gaza, he highlighted ongoing negotiations through mediators to reach a ceasefire before Ramadan. Efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including delivering aid and implementing necessary measures, were also discussed during the talks. The forum concluded with a strong focus on finding solutions to alleviate the suffering of the people in Gaza.
