Turkish FM Fidan continues diplomatic efforts in New York

Foreign ministers from Türkiye, Russia and Iran, the three guarantor states of the Astana platform established to de-escalate tensions in Syria and pave the way for a political process, have met in New York.

Hakan Fidan, Sergey Lavrov and Abbas Araghchi attended the Foreign Ministerial Meeting of the Astana Platform on Friday on the margins of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.

The ministers discussed the security, political and humanitarian situation in Syria, and called for restraint to prevent Israel's attacks on Lebanon from causing an additional spiral of violence in Syria, Turkish diplomatic sources said.

The meeting emphasised the importance of maintaining peace on the ground, including in northwestern Idlib province, as well as the need to prevent attempts by the separatist terrorist organisations to take advantage of the current situation, the sources added.

Reiterating Türkiye's support for the revival of the political process in Syria, Fidan underlined the importance of the Astana Process in achieving peace and stability in Syria.

During the meeting, the Turkish foreign minister drew attention to the threat of terrorism and the fact that Daesh is increasing its attacks in Syria.

Fidan emphasised that the UN should play a "leading role" in resolving the conflict in Syria, the sources added.

Signing marine biodiversity agreement

Hakan Fidan signed a UN agreement Friday to protect and sustainably use marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdictions during the UN General Assembly meetings.

Fidan signed the "United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea" on the protection and sustainable use of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction, territorial seas, continental shelves and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ), according to diplomatic sources.

The accord emphasises the need for marine protected areas, area-based management tools and environmental affect assessments for planned activities.

The process for states to become parties to the agreement was initiated with Fidan's signing of the participation document.

It ensures equitable sharing of benefits from marine discoveries, promotes good governance of the high seas and supports capacity-building for developing nations.

Türkiye remains committed to contributing to international efforts on environmental protection and maritime law, said sources.

Under the principle of "freedom of the high seas," one of the cornerstone principles of international maritime law, high seas areas are open for use by all states.

The areas, referred to as global commons, are not owned by any specific nation.

Less than one percent of the high seas, however, which make up two-thirds of the world's oceans, are protected.

Türkiye-CELAC Quartet Meeting

Turkish top diplomat also attended on Friday the 5th Türkiye-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) Quartet Foreign Ministers Meeting in New York, which was held on the sidelines of the 79th UN General Assembly.

The discussions focused on elements from the Joint Declaration issued following the 4th meeting in Istanbul on April 21, 2017, as well as current global challenges, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.

CELAC was founded in December 2011 to enhance regional integration and includes all Latin American and Caribbean nations.

The organisation holds meetings in a CELAC Quartet format with countries that have established bilateral cooperation mechanisms.

Türkiye attaches significant importance to its cooperation with regional organisations as part of its outreach policy toward Latin America and the Caribbean.

Within this scope, Türkiye-CELAC Quartet Foreign Ministers' Meetings have been held since 2013, with the first three meetings taking place during UN General Assembly sessions in 2013, 2015, and 2016.

The 4th meeting, held in Istanbul on April 21, 2017, culminated in the establishment of a "Political Dialogue and Permanent Cooperation Mechanism" between Türkiye and CELAC, as stated in the Joint Declaration issued at the time.

Meeting with president of Northern Cyprus

Fidan met on Saturday with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Ersin Tatar.

Fidan also met with TRNC's Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertugruloglu, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on X.

The meeting took place as Fidan was in New York to attend the 79th United Nations General Assembly session.

No further information was release d about the meeting.