Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will attend the first meeting of US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace in Washington on Thursday, representing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported, citing the foreign ministry.
In a written statement the ministry said Fidan will participate in the inaugural session of the board, which was established as part of international efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire and peace in Gaza following a fragile ceasefire with Israel reached in October.
According to diplomatic sources, Fidan is expected to stress in his address the need to continue efforts toward a resolution of the Palestinian issue and reaffirm Turkey’s support for initiatives aimed at achieving that goal.
He is also expected to call on Israel to end alleged ceasefire violations and practices that hinder the uninterrupted and sufficient delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Both Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas accuse each other of violating the ceasefire.
The board was originally conceived to oversee the rebuilding of Gaza, but the charter of the board does not appear to limit its role to the occupied Palestinian territory.
Its charter says the Board of Peace will seek to promote stability, restore governance and secure lasting peace in conflict-affected or threatened regions, operating in accordance with international law.
Turkey is among the founding members of the Board of Peace and is also represented on the Gaza Executive Board.
Fidan will reiterate that Turkey will continue providing humanitarian assistance and is ready to contribute to reconstruction efforts in the enclave, the sources said.
Turkey will also reiterate its support for a two-state solution, diplomatic sources said.
Fidan signed the Board of Peace charter on January 22 in Davos, Switzerland, on behalf of Erdoğan.