Turkish FM: Displacement of Palestinians from Gaza is not up for discussion PHOTO/VIDEO

Türkiye's Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, has strongly criticized US President Donald Trump's statements on plans to take control of Gaza, calling the idea "absolutely unacceptable."

"The entire Palestinian issue began because of ideas like this. Expelling Palestinians from Gaza cannot be a subject of discussion," Fidan stated, Caliber.Az reports via Turkish media.

Fidan also highlighted positive developments in Türkiye's dialogue with Syrian authorities, noting that discussions between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa focused on eliminating threats posed by the YPG. "Ahmed al-Sharaa clearly made it known that Syria will either expel or eliminate all PKK/YPG militants," Fidan said.

The minister outlined plans for a joint mechanism involving Türkiye, Iraq, Jordan, and Syria to combat terrorist threats, with the first meeting expected to take place in Jordan. He expressed concern over the possibility of renewed fighting in Gaza following a prisoner exchange, reaffirming Türkiye's commitment to ensuring the unhindered flow of humanitarian aid to the region.

“We will not allow Palestinians to be deprived of their homeland. Israel must understand: Gaza is Palestine, and any forced relocation of its residents is unacceptable," Fidan emphasized.

On the topic of the Ukraine conflict, Fidan indicated that he expects initiatives for conflict resolution to emerge by June, including potential proposals from the United States.

"We can expect that an initiative from the US will come soon. Of course, Trump and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin should meet, but before this meeting takes place, significant work must be done to establish a common framework for the agreement on certain principles. Serious consensus from both sides will be required," he explained.

Fidan added that the parties involved are "not yet at the stage of holding meetings," but anticipated that clarity would emerge by the summer.

Turning to Turkish-Greek relations, Fidan noted that a meeting between Turkish President Erdoğan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis could take place within the framework of the High-Level Cooperation Council, potentially in April.

Addressing Turkish-American relations, Fidan revealed that Türkiye intends to engage with the new US administration to further develop bilateral ties.

"In negotiations with the previous administration, Ankara made some progress on key bilateral issues, but one of the most important matters for us remains the removal of sanctions under the CAATSA (Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act)," he said, adding that the issue remains unresolved. "Such sanctions from a NATO ally contradict the spirit of alliance."

Fidan confirmed that discussions with the new US administration will begin in March once the government is fully formed. "Türkiye is already preparing for these talks, and the government has its own vision for the future of bilateral relations," he concluded.

By Aghakazim Guliyev