ISTANBUL - Turkish Foreign Minister and Chief Negotiator for EU Talks Ali Babacan said on Saturday that developments in the Middle East concerned and affected both Turkey and Arab countries.
"Besides, terrorism keeps targeting our countries and nations," said Babacan, speaking at the First Foreign Ministers' Meeting of Turkish-Arab Cooperation Forum in Istanbul.
Babacan said that Turkey and Arab states were affected by similar threats and problems, while they shared the same goals and benefited from common opportunities.
"Our countries should cooperate with each other in order to cope with these problems and they should search for solutions together," he said.
Babacan also said that regional and international problems, economic, social and cultural cooperation opportunities between Turkey and Arab states and studies aiming to strengthen the Alliance of Civilizations initiative would be discussed throughout the meeting.
The First Foreign Ministers' Meeting of Turkish-Arab Cooperation Forum began in Istanbul on Saturday.
Foreign ministers of Turkey, Syria, Algeria, Djibouti and Saudi Arabia are attending the meeting.
The Turkish-Arab Cooperation Forum was set up in Istanbul in November 2007 with an agreement signed by Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan and Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa.
(DO-EÖ)
(DIP)