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Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will host meetings of the R4 (Türkiye, Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia) and R4+E3 (United Kingdom, Germany, France) foreign ministers in Istanbul tomorrow, according to information from Foreign Ministry sources.

The agenda is expected to cover the Palestinian issue, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, developments related to Yemen and efforts to find a resolution to the Russia-Ukraine war. This will be the first time the seven countries convene in the R4+E3 format, on Türkiye's initiative.

Ministers from seven countries to attend

The R4 and R4+E3 foreign ministers meetings will take place in Istanbul tomorrow under Fidan's chairmanship, Foreign Ministry sources said. Germany's Foreign Minister Johann David Wadephul, the United Kingdom's Ed Miliband, France's Jean-Noel Barrot, Egypt's Bedir Abdulati, Pakistan's Muhammad Ishaq Dar and Saudi Arabia's Faisal bin Farhan are expected to attend.

Talks are set to address regional issues including the Palestinian question, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, developments connected to Yemen and the search for a settlement in the Russia-Ukraine war. The ministers are also expected to discuss possibilities for cooperation and coordination between the R4 and E3 countries in the period ahead.

Fidan to stress regional responsibility

In his remarks at the meetings, Fidan is expected to argue that regional security requires regional countries to take responsibility first and foremost, and that Türkiye accordingly gives priority to strengthening cooperation mechanisms based on regional ownership. Fidan will say that existing conflicts should not be allowed to feed one another, that fighting should not spread to new areas and that regional tensions should not turn into broader instability.

Fidan is expected to repeat that Israel's continuing occupation of Palestine, its unyielding stance that disrupts the international community's peace efforts and its aggression spreading across the region are the underlying cause of Middle East tensions. Fidan will call on all states to refrain from acts that could damage Jerusalem's historical and legal status or harm efforts toward a two-state solution, and will stress the importance of a determined response from the international community, with increased pressure on Israel, in the face of steps to expand illegal settlements and the encouragement of settler terrorism.

Regional conflicts and maritime security

Fidan is expected to say that the dispute between the United States and Iran can only be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue, and that military methods offer no lasting solution while triggering regional vulnerabilities and the risk of a wider conflict. Fidan will stress that ensuring permanent freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait is of vital importance for regional and global stability.

Fidan will confirm Türkiye's support for the protection of Saudi Arabia's security against Houthi attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure in the country, and will point to the solidarity and shared security approach set out by the Mecca Defense Alliance. Fidan is also expected to note the valuable contributions of the R4 and E3 countries to strengthening stability and prosperity in Syria, and to draw attention to Israel's continuing actions aimed at destabilizing Syria.

Ukraine war and the two diplomatic formats

Fidan is expected to say that Türkiye, as a littoral state, continues to convey its warnings and proposals to the parties to prevent the Russia-Ukraine war from spreading to the Black Sea and to end civilian loss of life there. Fidan will draw attention to the risks the intensifying fighting between Russia and Ukraine poses for regional security and repeat that Türkiye is ready to provide all support for ending the war through dialogue and diplomacy.

The R4 mechanism was established by Türkiye, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on the basis of regional ownership, to support lasting stability and strengthen dialogue on regional issues. R4 foreign ministers have held six meetings so far, the first in Riyadh on March 18, with the most recent one taking place in New York on September 21 on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week. The E3 mechanism, comprising Germany, the United Kingdom and France, emerged from trilateral diplomatic cooperation on Iran's nuclear program that has continued since 2003 and has since become a framework for joint diplomatic initiatives on a range of regional and international issues.

Key takeaways

• Hakan Fidan will host R4 and R4+E3 foreign ministers meetings in Istanbul tomorrow.
• Ministers from Germany, the UK, France, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are expected to attend.
• Talks will cover Palestine, the Strait of Hormuz, Yemen and the Russia-Ukraine war.
• It is the first time the seven countries will convene in the R4+E3 format, on Türkiye's initiative.