ANKARA, MAY 19 (DNA) – Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi called on President of Republic of Turkey Hon. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on 18 May 2021 in Ankara.

The Foreign Minister conveyed best wishes from Prime Minister Imran Khan as well as appreciation for President Erdogan’s highlighting Israeli injustices and excesses against the Palestinian people.

The Foreign Minister briefed the Turkish President on the sentiment prevailing in Pakistan in support of the people of Palestine including the resolution unanimously adopted by the National Assembly, as well as the diplomatic contacts made by Pakistan on this issue.

President Erdoğan appreciated the diplomatic outreach being carried out by the leadership of Pakistan on the Palestine issue. He noted that the Turkish Foreign Minister earlier in the day had informed the Turkish Parliament about the visit of the Foreign Minister of Pakistan and had acknowledged that Pakistan steadfastly stood behind the Palestinian people.

Thanking President Erdoğan for his support on Jammu and Kashmir, the Foreign Minister underlined that it was a source of strength for the people of the occupied territory. The Foreign Minister assured Pakistan’s continued support to Turkey on its core interests.

Expressing concern on rising Islamophobia, the Foreign Minister emphasized the need for continued joint efforts at all relevant multilateral fora. He thanked President Erdoğan for Turkey’s support in this regard.

Foreign Minister Qureshi also briefed the Turkish President on Pakistan’s facilitative role in the Afghan peace process and appreciated Turkey’s efforts in helping re-energize it.

The Foreign Minister remarked that the Prime Minister attached high importance to fraternal bilateral relations with Turkey including the institutional mechanism of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC). He recalled President Erdogan’s last visit to Pakistan in February 2020, which helped transform Pakistan-Turkey relationship into a robust strategic partnership through Strategic Economic Framework (SEF).

President Erdoğan stated that he looked forward to receiving Prime Minister Imran Khan in Turkey for the next session of the HLSCC at a mutually convenient date.=DNA

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