The key facts
- For the first time in a combined R4+E3 format, the foreign ministers of seven countries will meet; the initiative belongs to Türkiye
- Expected participants: Wadephul (Germany), Miliband (UK), Barrot (France), Abdelatty (Egypt), Dar (Pakistan), bin Farhan (Saudi Arabia)
- Topics: the Palestinian issue, the Strait of Hormuz, Yemen, Syria, the Russia–Ukraine war, R4–E3 coordination
Istanbul meeting in a new format
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will hold meetings in Istanbul on Friday with the foreign ministers of the R4 mechanism — Türkiye, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia — and the European E3 format comprising the United Kingdom, Germany and France. According to sources at the Turkish Foreign Ministry, a combined meeting of all seven countries in the R4+E3 format will also take place for the first time, organized at Türkiye's own initiative.
Participants
According to the Turkish foreign ministry, the meetings will be attended by German Foreign Minister Johann David Wadephul, UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Pakistani Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar and Saudi Arabian Minister Faisal bin Farhan.
Agenda
The discussion is expected to cover regional issues, above all the Palestinian problem, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, developments around Yemen and efforts to settle the Russia–Ukraine war. The participants are also expected to discuss possibilities for cooperation and coordination between the R4 and E3 countries in the coming days.
Fidan's expected emphases
According to the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Fidan is expected to stress in his remarks that regional security requires primary responsibility from the countries of the region, and that Türkiye prioritizes strengthening cooperation mechanisms based on regional belonging. He will likely note that existing disputes should not feed one another, conflicts should not spread to new territories, and regional tension should not escalate into broader instability. Fidan is also expected to reiterate that Israel's ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories, its uncompromising position that undermines the international community's peace efforts, and the aggression spreading across the entire region are the main causes of tension in the Middle East. As for the disagreements between the US and Iran, he is expected to emphasize that they can only be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue, that military methods do not offer a lasting solution, exacerbate the region's vulnerabilities and carry the risk of a wider conflict.
Yemen, Syria and the Black Sea
In connection with the recent Houthi attacks on civilian facilities and civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, Fidan is expected to reaffirm Türkiye's support for Riyadh's security and underline the importance of the solidarity and collective security approach demonstrated by the new Mecca Defense Union, created in August by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. He is also likely to note the contribution of the R4 and E3 countries to strengthening stability and prosperity in Syria, pointing to Israel's ongoing actions aimed at destabilizing the country. In addition, Fidan is expected to recall that Türkiye, as a Black Sea country, continues to convey to the parties to the Russia–Ukraine war warnings and settlement proposals in order to prevent the conflict from spreading to the Black Sea and to stop civilian casualties.
About the R4 and E3 mechanisms
The R4 mechanism was created by Türkiye, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on the basis of the principle of regional belonging, with the aim of supporting lasting stability and fostering dialogue on regional issues. The E3 format — Germany, the United Kingdom and France — grew out of the trilateral diplomatic cooperation on the Iranian nuclear program that began in 2003 and has gradually evolved into a platform for joint diplomatic initiatives on various regional and international issues.
