Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke at a joint press conference with Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in Rome.

Fidan thanked Tajani for his hospitality and stated that they always held productive and comprehensive meetings with their Italian counterpart.

Fidan emphasized that views were exchanged at today's meeting to enhance cooperation on bilateral and regional issues, saying,"We are determined to further deepen our strategic partnership with Italy. Our President and Italian Prime Minister, Mr. Meloni, have repeatedly demonstrated their strong will on this matter."

Fidan emphasized that they are taking concrete steps to contribute to the prosperity and security of both countries by working on various projects, and stated that work is being carried out that will benefit Italy and other countries in the region.

Fidan emphasized that areas such as trade, energy, defense, migration, and the fight against organized crime are at the forefront of bilateral relations between Turkey and Italy, stating that the trade volume between the two countries exceeds $32 billion.

COOPERATION IN THE DEFENSE INDUSTRY

Fidan, stating that the goal is to increase this to $40 billion, said,"We are also very pleased with our cooperation in the defense industry. Baykar's recent acquisition of the well-established Italian aviation company Piaggio Aerospace and its partnership with the Italian defense industry company Leonardo are exemplary for our region."

Fidan stated that the progress made in the Eurofighter procurement is extremely important for Türkiye and Italy, and pointed out that the Mediterranean region is also key to Europe's energy security and connectivity.

Minister Fidan noted the following:

"The development of our cooperation in these areas will be of great benefit both bilaterally and regionally. Furthermore, the activities envisaged in our maritime jurisdictions must be carried out in accordance with international maritime law, respectful of sovereign peoples, and in effective coordination. We are very pleased with the sensitivity shown by Italy in this regard."

Fidan stated that he and his Italian counterpart also evaluated irregular migration movements in the Mediterranean and that Türkiye is resolutely fighting against irregular migration.

Fidan stated that as a result of Türkiye's efforts, the pressure on the Eastern Mediterranean migration route has decreased, and he conveyed the message that joint efforts with Italy on this issue will continue.

Türkiye'S EXPECTATIONS FROM THE EU

Regarding Turkey-EU relations, Fidan said,"Full EU membership remains a strategic goal for Turkey. In this process, our expectation from the EU is that it avoids a biased stance based on narrow political calculations and develops a vision that includes steps to revitalize the Turkey-EU membership process."

Fidan emphasized that Italy's support for Türkiye's EU membership reflects a strategic and long-term perspective, adding that this approach is expected to be adopted by all EU members.

Underlining that the two countries share a common vision for strengthening European defense, Fidan said,"It should not be forgotten that a sustainable and deterrent security architecture is only possible with the full participation of Türkiye, which has the second-largest army in NATO."

Fidan stated that he and his Italian counterpart had the opportunity to discuss regional and international issues in detail, and that within this framework, they discussed the joint will and efforts to"establish a just and lasting peace" in Ukraine.

Recalling that Türkiye has made a concrete contribution to this matter by hosting the direct negotiation process between the parties, Fidan emphasized that Ankara is ready to continue its facilitating role in the coming period and to make every effort to end the war.

Fidan stated that current developments in Africa were discussed and that prosperity and stability should be supported on the continent.

SITUATION IN LIBYA

Fidan stated that they discussed the possible actions taken by countries on the continent, in light of their priorities and expectations. He said,"We reiterated our common stance on continuing the political process in Libya and encouraging dialogue among actors on the ground. It is crucial that Libya's unity, territorial integrity, sovereignty, stability, and security are maintained permanently. Turkey and Italy will continue our efforts in this direction."

Fidan, emphasizing that the main issue on the international community's agenda is the genocide that Israel is committing in Gaza and the expansionist policy it is pursuing in the region, said,"Israel has violated the sovereignty of another country with the attack it carried out in Doha. I want to emphasize once again that we stand in full solidarity with Qatar in the face of this vile attack."

Fidan stated that Qatar is a country that "pursues a peaceful foreign policy" and successfully carries out mediation activities, and that Israel's expansionist policy extending to Qatar should cause those circles that turn a blind eye to Benjamin Netanyahu to"wake up."

Minister Fidan said,"We call on the international community to take the necessary measures against Israel. We are pleased that many Western countries recently announced during the UN General Assembly that they will recognize the State of Palestine."

Fidan stated that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will attend the high-level week of the UN General Assembly, and that efforts will continue to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people and find a permanent solution to the Palestinian issue.

Minister Fidan added that he believes that the friendship with Italy will be further strengthened with the steps to be taken in the future as two NATO allies, Mediterranean countries and strategic partners.

LIBYA AGENDA

Following his address, Fidan answered questions from the press.

Fidan, stating that Turkey and Italy are following the same policy regarding Libya, said,"Turkey has achieved the same level of relations with the East as it has with the West in recent years (on Libya). In this context, Speaker of the House of Representatives Agila Salih visited Ankara. Saddam Haftar and Bilkasim Haftar have been guests in Türkiye on various occasions, held meetings, and been hosted. We don't currently have a visit from General Khalifa Haftar to Türkiye on our agenda, but it would be normal for it to happen."

ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE IN GAZA

Fidan stated that the pressure exerted by the international community on Israel has been insufficient and has not reached a deterrent point, saying,"As of today, the genocide caused by systematic starvation continues in Gaza. Israel's expansionism and threat in the region is growing."

Fidan emphasized that the international community, which has seen a major awakening, albeit belatedly, is making faster progress than the international system, saying,"We see that the illusion Israel has created in the eyes of the international community over the years is gradually disappearing. We see its true face, its true intentions emerging."

Pointing out that the whole world sees how Israel is carelessly violating all the rules that humanity considers sacred, one by one, Fidan said,"The world, especially Western society, is in conflict with its own values."

Minister Fidan said that the conflict between Israeli occupation and Western values will have greater consequences.

Fidan stated that the international community and the system must make greater efforts, noting that the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN) must take more effective decisions to stop Israel, otherwise the heavily eroded international system could collapse completely.

RUSSIA'S VIOLATION OF POLISH AIRSPACE

Recalling that an extraordinary meeting was held with NATO permanent representatives regarding the developments regarding Poland's violation of its airspace during Russia's attacks on targets in Ukraine, on the subject of Article 4, Fidan said,"I hope we never see a repeat of this."

Fidan reminded that Turkey has repeatedly emphasized since the beginning of the Russo-Ukrainian War that there is a risk of the war spreading and that it must be stopped immediately. He stated that they have hosted peace and ceasefire talks and prisoner exchanges to end the war, and that they will continue to take initiatives at various levels.

Minister Fidan emphasized that Türkiye, as a competent and responsible country in the region, can foresee dangers, just as it did in the war in Gaza, and said that it has opinions about what types of dangers the current risks could lead to, and that each of these has come true.

Fidan noted that peace and ceasefire talks between Russia and Ukraine should continue where they left off, saying,"As Türkiye and Italy, we have a common view that this war must end as soon as possible."

Fidan stated that the war poses a threat to both regional and global security, and emphasized that NATO member countries are doing their part and holding consultations.

Minister Fidan said that more efforts should be made to stop the war as soon as possible.

ITALIAN MINISTER EMPHASISES BILATERAL COOPERATION

Host Minister Tajani stated that Turkey and Italy are strategic partners, and that the Turkey-Italy Intergovernmental Summit held in Rome in April demonstrated this. He added that tonight's signing of the document on strengthening cooperation in the fight against irregular migration would be very beneficial in preventing migration departures in the Mediterranean, especially from Libya.

Tajani emphasized the vital importance of the issue of irregular migration for Italy, saying,"Collaboration with a key country like Turkey in the Mediterranean region will enable us to strengthen our fight against human traffickers. This initiative is a concrete action taken by the (Italian) government with a key country in the fight against irregular migration, drug trafficking, and terrorism in the Mediterranean."

Explaining that the two countries will work together on the training of law enforcement forces, Tajani made the following assessment:

"We aim to dismantle criminal networks in the Mediterranean and strengthen cooperation between our coast guards to prevent irregular migration. The same issue was also discussed in Istanbul in August between Prime Minister (Giorgia) Meloni and President (Recep Tayyip) Erdoğan, Libyan Prime Minister (Abdulhamid) Dibeybe, the Turkish Interior Minister, and the Italian Interior Minister. Therefore, we are working to strengthen dialogue between Italy, Turkey, and Libya. We want to extend this to other regional actors because the stability of North Africa and the Mediterranean is vital to us."

"The Mediterranean should no longer be a graveyard for migrants, but a sea that serves to build prosperity and growth," Tajani said.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

Tajani, also touching on the Russia-Ukraine War, said,"We can also work well with Turkey to build peace in Ukraine. We know very well that Ankara can play an important role in facilitating dialogue. I also reiterated to Minister Fidan Italy's proposal that, once peace is achieved, Ukraine be given a security guarantee, modeled on NATO's Article 5."

Tajani stated that they are open to discussing the idea of clearing sea mines, considering Türkiye's role in the security of the Black Sea, saying,"We have a great history and experience in this area, and I believe we can also work to ensure the safety of maritime transportation."

Türkiye-ITALY ECONOMIC RELATIONS

Tajani stated that they see that things are moving in the right direction regarding economic relations between the two countries, saying,"We have decided to work harder to strengthen cooperation in this area. We reached a total trade volume of $32 billion in 2024. We are Türkiye's largest trading partner in the Mediterranean region and its second largest in Europe, so our exports to Türkiye have more than doubled in recent years. Therefore, we are ready to invest more and, of course, welcome investments into our country."

Tajani also touched on the recently emerging partnerships between the two countries in the defense industry, and continued:

We are ready to work together on peace efforts. I also reiterated to the Minister our stance on the defense industry. Our goal is to strengthen our defense industry by collaborating not only with EU member states but also with countries like the US, UK, and Turkey. We also agreed to strengthen stability in Syria, Lebanon, and the entire Middle East. We have great confidence in the role of our friendly country, Türkiye, for peace and stability, and we believe we can take important steps together.

"THERE IS A LIMIT TO REACTION THAT SHOULD NOT BE EXCEEDED. UNFORTUNATELY, ISRAEL HAS EXCEEDED THIS LIMIT"

When asked by an Anadolu Agency reporter whether the international community had reacted adequately to Israel's attack on a Hamas negotiating team in Doha, the Qatari capital, Minister Tajani said,"We condemn the attacks on Doha because this is a violation of airspace. These attacks violate the airspace of a country that is an important part of the peace negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza."

Tajani claimed that Israel has the right to defend itself, saying,"However, there is a limit to reaction that should not be crossed. Unfortunately, Israel has crossed this line. International law and humanitarian law rights have been violated numerous times. We told Israel that the bombings and attacks must stop, that it is time to reach peace. Of course, Hamas must also release all hostages immediately and without conditions."

Stating that Italy believes in the solution of two peoples, two states, Tajani said:

We believe that the establishment of a Palestinian state is right. I reiterated to my Turkish friend and counterpart, the Foreign Minister, that Italy supports an international mission under the UN flag, led by a Muslim country, based on the unification of Gaza and the West Bank for the unity of Palestine. This unification is a fundamental condition for the emergence of a Palestinian state. I said that we will sign the document being prepared in New York on September 22nd.

Tajani stated that, at the last informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers, they, along with Germany, are in favor of new sanctions against the new Israeli illegal settlers who occupy parts of the West Bank and attack Palestinian civilians, and said,"I also stated that we are ready to evaluate the sanctions proposals presented by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen yesterday in Strasbourg and that we will make the necessary evaluations together with our allies in Europe as soon as these proposals are presented to the Council."

"I HOPE IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN"

Tajani responded to a question about whether the Russian UAVs' violation of Poland's airspace was a test against NATO:

"Italy has condemned this openly. It's clear that Russia wants to test its interception capabilities, even militarily. I hope this doesn't happen again. This isn't new. When I was an Air Force officer, we watched Warsaw Pact MiGs approach the NATO border and test their interception capabilities. This is normal, but very worrying. I hope there won't be an escalation. Even the slightest mistake could lead to the situation escalating further. We must work for peace, not war, but we must defend the territorial integrity of Italy and NATO."