İlhan Uzgel met with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan... İlhan Uzgel: "We Proposed a Constructive and Complementary Diplomacy"

CHP Deputy Chairperson in charge of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs İlhan Uzgel held a bilateral meeting with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday May 24th. Stating that the meeting was constructive and productive, CHP Deputy Chairperson İlhan Uzgel said, "We proposed a constructive and complementary diplomacy. We also proposed an alternative foreign policy. Therefore, we agreed that it would be good to work through these channels. We expressed all our objections. We invited him to come here. We told him, ‘He may brief our Chairperson.’ We said, ‘We can get information in advance during our travels abroad, and then we can share with you the developments related to those meetings on important issues.’ I can say that he responded positively to this."

PROTOCOL RULES WERE FOLLOWED

Stating that the meeting, which lasted for about an hour, took place in a sincere atmosphere, Uzgel said, "The starting point and general framework of this meeting was drawn in the meeting of our Chairperson with the President on May 2. Our Chairperson had said that it would be good to open a door of dialogue between the shadow ministers. The President had also expressed his favourable views on this. Hakan Fidan welcomed me very well and all protocol rules were followed." Uzgel noted the following:

INFORMATION SHARING ON FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES

"We emphasised that it is important for Turkey's common interests that we exchange information and cooperate on foreign policy issues. We stated that we act with a constructive and complementary understanding of diplomacy, not just to criticise. We expressed all kinds of objections and said that we can cooperate on issues of common interest to Turkey."

PALESTINE AND SCHENGEN VISA ISSUES

"Our Chairperson expressed his views on the recognition of Palestine as a state and the inhumane attacks on Gaza. We also raised the difficulties experienced in the Schengen visa issue."

MEETING WITH EU AMBASSADORS

Regarding CHP Chairperson Özgür Özel's meeting with the European Union (EU) Ambassadors last night, Uzgel said, "The participation was very strong and very high level. The meeting was productive, the ambassadors raised their questions in a sincere environment and received clear answers. Important issues regarding Turkey's domestic and foreign policy were discussed."