Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim arrived in Istanbul on Saturday (Oct 21) evening for a two-day working visit to Turkiye. During his visit, he is scheduled to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today.
The Prime Minister’s special aircraft landed at the Istanbul Grand Airport at 10.45pm local time (3.45am Sunday Malaysian time).
Accompanying Anwar were Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and Deputy Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan.
Upon arrival, the Prime Minister was received by Malaysian Ambassador to Turkiye Sazali Mustafa Kamal, Minister Counsellors from the Malaysian Embassy in Ankara Clara Soon May Lynn and Ahmad Hashim Mahmood, and Malaysian Defence Attaché Col Mohd Edafi Daud.
Representatives from the Turkish side, including Istanbul’s Deputy Governor Şevket Atlı, Commander of the Gendarmerie General Command Colonel Mesut Maden, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Head of Department for Istanbul Office Mehmet Zait Uzun, were also present.
One of the main topics to be discussed between the two leaders is the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which has raised significant concern recently.
The recent clashes in Palestine involving Hamas, the ruling authority in Gaza, and the Israeli regime have led to the loss of thousands of lives on both sides since Oct 7.
Following his meeting with President Erdogan, Anwar will travel to Cairo, Egypt to meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the opening of the Rafah crossing to allow the transportation of food, water, and medicines to Palestine.
The Rafah crossing is situated between Egypt and the Gaza Strip in Palestine.
Wisma Putra stated that these working visits to Turkiye and Egypt demonstrate Malaysia’s unwavering commitment to resolving the Palestinian issue and alleviating the suffering faced by Palestinians due to the ongoing crisis in Gaza.
Prior to his visit to Turkiye, Anwar concluded his two-day working visit to Riyadh, where he attended the Asean-GCC Summit. This summit marked the first time the two regional blocs had established relations since 1990. – Bernama
