Turkey lauds Pakistan's efforts for de-escalation in Middle East

ISLAMABAD: Turkey’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu on Saturday telephoned Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi and assured him of Ankara’s complete cooperation for peace in the Middle East, ARY News reported.

During the telephonic conversation, Mevlut Cavusoglu lauded the Pakistan’s efforts for de-escalation in the Middle East.

FM Qureshi briefed him about Pakistan’s efforts for defusing tension and his recent contacts with several foreign ministers of the region.

Speaking on the occasion, Turkish minister for foreign minister condemned the blast in Quetta on Friday and expressed his grief over the loss of precious lives.

Earlier on January 5, amid escalating tensions between the United States and Tehran following the assassination of a top Iranian general, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had made telephone calls to his Saudi and UAE counterparts to discuss regional peace.

During the telephonic conversation with Saudi Arabia’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, FM Qureshi had highlighted Pakistan’s deep concern over the recent developments and underscored the imperative of avoidance of conflict, exercise of maximum restraint and de-escalation of tensions.

He had renewed the call on all parties concerned to abide by the UN Charter and principles of international law to settle differences through peaceful means.