PM Anwar arrives in Istanbul to meet president Erdogan today

ISTANBUL: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim arrived here on Saturday (Oct 21) evening for a two-day working visit to Turkiye, where he is also scheduled to hold a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today.

The special aircraft carrying the Prime Minister landed at the Istanbul Grand Airport at 10.45pm local time (3.45am Sunday Malaysian time).

Anwar was accompanied by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and Deputy Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan.

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 Attache Col Mohd Edafi Daud.

Receiving officials from the Turkish side were 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.

Among the topics said to be discussed between the two leaders is the growing concern about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

The recent clashes in Palestine involving Hamas, the ruling authority in Gaza, and the Israeli regime have resulted in the loss of thousands of lives on both sides since Oct 7.

After his meeting with President Erdogan, Anwar is scheduled to proceed to Cairo, Egypt to meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and discuss the opening of the Rafah crossing to allow the channelling of food, water and medicines to Palestine.

The Rafah crossing is located between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, Palestine.

Wisma Putra in a statement said that working visits to Turkiye and Egypt reflected Malaysia’s undivided commitment towards the Palestinian issue, especially in reducing the suffering faced by Palestinians as a result of the ongoing crisis in Gaza.

Earlier Saturday, Anwar concluded his two-day working visit to Riyadh, where he attended the Asean-GCC Summit which was held for the first time since the two regional blocs established relations in 1990. – BK