Istanbul:Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is set to host significant diplomatic meetings involving the R4 mechanism, which comprises Türkiye, Egypt, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia, as well as the European E3 mechanism, which includes the UK, Germany, and France, in Istanbul on Friday. This will be the first time these groups meet in a combined R4+E3 format.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, the meetings will be attended by German Foreign Minister Johann David Wadephul, UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, and Saudi Minister Faisal bin Farhan. The initiative for this unprecedented combined meeting format was taken by Türkiye.

The agenda for the meetings includes discussions on regional issues, with a focus on the Palestinian question, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, developments in Yemen, and efforts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine war. Additionally, the diplomats are expected to explore opportunities for cooperation and coordination between the R4 and E3 countries.

Minister Fidan is anticipated to emphasize the importance of regional countries taking primary responsibility for their security. He will likely highlight Türkiye's commitment to strengthening cooperation mechanisms based on regional ownership. Fidan is also expected to address the ongoing Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and advocate for resolving the US-Iran dispute through diplomacy.

In response to recent Houthi attacks on civilians in Saudi Arabia, Fidan is expected to reaffirm Türkiye's support for Saudi security and the importance of the Mecca Defense Alliance. He will likely acknowledge the contributions of the R4 and E3 countries to stability in Syria and express concern over Israel's actions in the region. Furthermore, Fidan is expected to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war and Türkiye's role in preventing the conflict from affecting the Black Sea region.

The R4 mechanism was created to support stability and dialogue on regional issues, while the E3 mechanism originated from diplomatic cooperation on Iran's nuclear program and has since evolved to address various regional and international issues.