Turkish FM Çavuşoğlu hints at Afghanistan visit
Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu speaks in a joint news conference with Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi in Ankara, Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021. (AA Photo)


Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on Tuesday hinted that he would visit the Afghan capital Kabul with a group of counterparts from friendly countries.

"We follow the situation in Afghanistan closely. We are planning to go to Kabul with some other foreign ministers in the upcoming period," said Çavuşoğlu in a joint news conference with his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi.

Çavuşoğlu said they discussed it with Marsudi during their meeting in New York.

Some other friendly ministers also "loved the idea," Çavuşoğlu noted, adding: "We will plan for this in the coming days."

It was the first official visit of a foreign minister by Indonesia to Turkey, Çavuşoğlu reminded, underlining that the country is one of Ankara’s most important partners in the Asia Pacific region.

He said that the two foreign ministers discussed also the planned visit of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Indonesia.

Çavuşoğlu said further that both also discussed the Rohingya issue.

"I want to emphasize Indonesia’s vital role regarding Rohingya Muslims once again. Similarly, Turkey is providing assistance to our Rohingya brothers whether in Myanmar or Bangladesh and today we again agreed to send COVID-19 vaccines to our Rohingya brothers."

The Rohingya, described by the United Nations as the world's most persecuted people, have faced heightened fears of attack since dozens were killed in communal violence in 2012.

According to Amnesty International, more than 750,000 Rohingya refugees, mostly women and children, fled Myanmar and crossed into Bangladesh after Myanmar forces launched a crackdown on the minority Muslim community in August 2017, pushing the number of persecuted people in Bangladesh above 1.2 million.

Following Marsudi’s visit, Çavuşoğlu tweeted: "Discussed preparations of High Level Strategic Council. Mutually recognized vaccine certificates. Formed a travel corridor. Signed agreements on development and pharmaceutical production."