Web Desk(National Times)- Developments in the Gulf region amid the US-Israeli war on Iran came under discussion as the R4 foreign ministers \u2014 Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye \u2014 met with their counterparts from France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The R4 group, comprising Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, emerged in March and has been focusing on regional security and mediation efforts between the United States and Iran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the Foreign Office (FO), Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar participated in the first meeting between the R4 and France, Germany, Italy and the UK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe meeting provided an opportunity for exchange of views on regional developments in the Gulf region, their social and economic impacts, and the urgent need to foster diplomatic engagement to resolve regional challenges of peace, security and stability,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDar briefed his counterparts on the diplomatic and mediatory role Pakistan continues to play in de-escalating tensions, preventing resumption of hostilities and promoting peace. All ministers agreed for continued engagement in this format,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The R4 bloc also held a separate meeting. According to the FO, Dar participated in the sixth R4 foreign ministers\u2019 meeting alongside Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, and Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud of Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ministers reviewed developments in the region since their last meeting in New York in September, with \u201cparticular focus on the situation in the Middle East and related security challenges and conflicts\u201d, the FO said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia and reaffirmed their support for its sovereignty and territorial integrity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The FO added that the ministers also condemned the Houthi attacks targeting Saudi Arabia and underscored the importance of respecting state sovereignty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey discussed ways to strengthen regional coordination and advance diplomatic efforts to promote lasting peace, security, and stability,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bilateral meetings
Dar earlier held bilateral meetings with the Turkish and Egyptian foreign ministers, on the sidelines of the R4 meeting and a meeting between the R4 and European diplomats in Istanbul, the FO said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a post on X, the FO said that Dar met with Fidan ahead of the ministerial meeting, thanking him for hosting the meetings. The pair discussed bilateral relations and regional developments, particularly the situation in the Middle East and Palestine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey expressed concern over threats to regional stability and underscored the importance of dialogue, diplomacy and coordinated efforts to promote regional peace and security,\u201d the FO statement said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Additionally, Dar and Fidan strongly condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and reaffirmed their commitment to close coordination on regional issues, including under the Makkah Defence Agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBoth leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the longstanding bonds of friendship and brotherhood between Pakistan and Turkiye, and to deepening cooperation across all areas of mutual interest, both bilaterally and in multilateral fora,\u201d the FO added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Later, the FO said that Dar also met with Egyptian FM Abdelatty on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting, where the two exchanged views on regional and international developments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In particular, they discussed the situation in Palestine and the Middle East, and underscored the importance of \u201csustained dialogue and diplomacy\u201d in addressing challenges in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The two reaffirmed the \u201clongstanding and fraternal ties\u201d between Pakistan and Egypt, and highlighted the importance of sustained high-level engagement to further advance bilateral relations, the FO statement said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey agreed to impart greater momentum to cooperation across a range of areas, including trade, business-to-business linkages, agriculture, pharmaceutical, connectivity, renewable energy, defence, and people-to-people exchanges,\u201d the FO added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ministers also reaffirmed their commitment to continued consultations and closer coordination under the R4 framework, as well as on matters of mutual interest, it said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The deputy premier later had a \u201cwarm and cordial meeting\u201d with Saudi FM Prince Faisal bin Farhan, where he expressed Pakistan\u2019s full support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the kingdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe two leaders reaffirmed the enduring strength of the fraternal ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and their commitment to further strengthening their strategic partnership through close cooperation across all areas of interest and regular consultations at all levels,\u201d the FO said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They also underscored the \u201cspecial bond\u201d between their countries, reinforced by their bilateral Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement and the Makkah defence agreement between Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia; as well as their shared commitment to regional peace, security and stability, it added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Separately, DPM Dar met with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on the sidelines of the meeting and expressed the desire to further strengthen bilateral ties \u201cthrough sustained engagement and cooperation across multiple areas of mutual interest\u201d, the FO said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the FO, the two ministers discussed relations between Pakistan and Germany and exchanged views on regional and international developments. They stressed the importance of dialogue, diplomacy and sustained international engagement to promote peace and stability and to address the evolving challenges in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dar \u201cwelcomed the constructive engagement\u201d of Germany, France, Italy and the UK with the R4 framework, the FO said, adding that he underscored the value of \u201ccontinued consultations and diplomatic coordination on issues of shared concern\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Talks to revolve around Hormuz, Saudi Arabia
British Foreign Minister Ed Miliband\u2019s office said the talks would essentially revolve around \u201cthe Strait of Hormuz and the situation in Saudi Arabia\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It said Miliband \u201cwill advocate for a diplomatic solution to the [Hormuz] crisis that restores full navigational rights and freedoms\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He will also stress \u201chow Iranian tactics are being replicated across the region, with attacks on Saudi Arabia further destabilising the region and increasing pressure on vital waterways and global chokepoints, such as Bab el-Mandeb and the Suez Canal\u201d, it added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
France confirmed the talks on \u201cthe Iranian crisis in its various ramifications\u201d, hailing it as a first \u201cin this format \u2026 against a backdrop of extreme instability and uncertainty in the region.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The meeting will aim to \u201cstrengthen coordination between Europeans and Middle Eastern countries in the face of crises that we did not choose and that affect us all,\u201d the French foreign ministry said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fidan is expected to emphasise the need for a diplomatic solution to the war between the United States and Iran, the importance of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb, and reiterate Turkiye\u2019s support for Saudi Arabia\u2019s security against attacks by Yemen\u2019s Houthi rebels under the Makkah defence agreement signed by Islamabad, Ankara, and Riyadh, the sources said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Makkah defence pact, signed on Aug 7, aims to strengthen collective deterrence and empower its signatory states to treat an attack against one of them as an attack against all of them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Web Desk(National Times)- Developments in the Gulf region amid the US-Israeli war on Iran came under discussion as the R4 foreign ministers \u2014 Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye \u2014 met with their counterparts from France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. The R4 group, comprising Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, emerged in March […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":135327,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-135326","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest_news","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n