LOC12:11
09:11 GMT
PARIS, April 3 (KUNA) -- France and Turkiye have jointly affirmed commitment to enforce a cease-fire in Gaza and free all prisoners for establishing permanent peace in the region on the two states' basis.
The French Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday that the common stand was taken during a meeting between Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fedan in Paris on Wednesday.
At least 50,000 Gazans, including 20,000 children, have fallen as martyrs since start of the Israeli aggression on the enclave in early October. The occupation has laid tight siege to the strip amid fears the war-haggard population was on the verge of starvation.
On Ukraine, the two ministers noted necessity to cease the fighting and achieve peace with strong security guarantees for Kyiv.
Ukraine and the neighboring power, Russia, have been locked up in a fierce war since Moscow invaded the country on February 22, 2022. During the hostilities, Moscow declared annexation of some regions with predominant Russian-speaking populations.
Barrot and Fedan also discussed the situation in Syria, support for comprehensive and just transfer of power that meet people's aspiration and respect rights of all Syrians.
Barrot renewed condemnation of the "dangerous violence" that happened in northwest Syria in March and agreed with his guest on the necessity to shed light "on these crimes and punish the culprits."
On the Caucuses, both ministers affirmed that normalizing relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia could be helpful for peace in the region.
Barrot and Fedan expressed satisfaction with the "positive dynamism" in the bilateral trade and affirmed the mutual desire to hold the eighth session of the joint commercial committee, soon.
The annual trade exchange volume between the two nations is estimated at more than USD 11 billion.
The French minister expressed concern at the "the recent political developments in Turkiye," alluding to the arrest of leader of an opposition party. (end)
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