Foreign Minister Fidan talks bilateral relations and global issues with FM of Cambodia

During a joint press conference on May 28 with Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Sok Chenda Sophea, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan highlighted significant strides made in diplomatic relations between Türkiye and Cambodia.

Cambodia’s top diplomat is paying a three-day visit to Türkiye on May 27-29, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday.

Stating that this is his first visit outside the Asian continent, Sok said that there are great bilateral relations and cooperation between Türkiye and Cambodia.

Progress in Türkiye-Cambodia relations

In his statement, on the other hand, Fidan acknowledged the 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two nations and expressed contentment with the recent advancements in various areas of collaboration.

Focusing on the productive discussions held, Fidan outlined plans to elevate high-level visits and sustain efforts towards achieving a bilateral trade volume target of $1 billion.

He also emphasized ongoing initiatives to bolster the legal framework of bilateral relations and launch Turkish Airlines flights to Cambodia, alongside ongoing negotiations for a trade agreement.

Several agreements were signed during the meeting, particularly in forestry and between universities, reflecting the importance of development cooperation.

Fidan stressed the importance of cooperation not only bilaterally but also within various international forums, notably the U.N. He highlighted ongoing endeavors to strengthen institutional cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), viewing Cambodia as a valuable partner in this regard.

Fidan criticizes Israel’s actions in Gaza

Touching upon regional concerns such as Ukraine and Gaza, Fidan reiterated alignment with Minister Sok on Gaza.

Fidan condemned Israel’s recent air strike on a refugee camp in Rafah, which resulted in civilian casualties, and criticized Israel’s ongoing harsh and inhumane activities in Gaza.

“We sincerely believe that this genocide will not go unpunished and will be dealt with both in the conscience of humanity and by international law,” Fidan said.

Fidan asserted that Israel’s actions, backed unconditionally by certain Western countries, would not escape repercussions from the international community. He reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to working towards halting the massacres in Gaza.

Regarding the recognition of Palestine as a state, Fidan noted ongoing systematic efforts despite the sluggish response from the international community. He highlighted recent recognitions of Palestine by Spain, Norway, and Ireland, with Slovenia progressing towards recognition.

Fidan underscored the discussion during meetings in Brussels regarding nearly 150 countries recognizing Palestine as a state, emphasizing the importance of establishing state relations with Palestine despite the prevailing occupation.

Underlining that this has not been accepted at the U.N, Fidan said, “Every recognizing country can establish a state relationship with Palestine, just as Türkiye has done. There is an ongoing occupation, it is extremely important to recognize Palestine as a state to the extent that the conditions of this occupation allow and to cooperate accordingly.”

Fidan criticized Israel’s actions of annexing Palestinian land through illegal settlers, asserting that such actions deeply wound humanity’s conscience. He emphasized that this agenda, perpetuated by Israel through propaganda, is nearing its end.

Fidan asserted that humanity has awakened to a new Palestinian reality, signifying not only the freedom and sovereignty of the Palestinian people but also the commencement of the collapse of the long-standing facade crafted by the international system.

“But now this illusion has been shattered, and humanity has unfortunately opened its eyes to a new Palestinian reality in 2024 through the blood of the martyrs in Gaza. This Palestinian reality, as we have stated before, not only expresses the freedom and sovereignty of the Palestinian people, but also constitutes the beginning of the collapse of the empire of lies that the international system has built for decades,” Fidan underlined.