The foreign ministers of the R4 Group, comprising Türkiye, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, met their counterparts from France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom in Istanbul. In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the ministers announced that they agreed on the urgent need to address regional conflicts through dialogue, diplomacy and de-escalation.
The joint press statement was released by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to the statement, the ministers reiterated their determination to continue contributing to diplomatic efforts to promote peace and stability in the region and beyond. It stressed that these efforts also aim to address the impact of these issues on security, the economy and trade.
The meeting's agenda included numerous issues of regional and international importance. The ministers reportedly discussed the US/Israel-Iran conflict, the Israeli-Palestinian issue and the need for a negotiated two-state solution. Houthi militia attacks on Saudi Arabia and Yemen, described in the statement as "heinous", were also among the topics addressed.
The security and freedom of maritime navigation was another key topic of the meeting. The ministers assessed the escalating tensions in the Bab el-Mandeb and Hormuz straits and in the Black Sea.
The statement underlined the need to find lasting solutions to all ongoing conflicts through negotiations, in line with relevant United Nations resolutions.
The ministers also agreed to continue dialogue in this format in order to prevent conflicts and strengthen peace and stability in the region.
