Turkey Joins The Hague Group Statement in Colombia
On July 25, Turkey officially notified the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs via a diplomatic note, confirming its participation in the joint statement of The Hague Group meeting in Bogotá. The statement, issued following the July 15-16 meeting in Colombia’s capital, emphasizes necessary measures against Israel due to human rights violations in Gaza.
According to the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Ankara’s joining of this statement does not signify a change in its legal position regarding the “United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea” (UNCLOS). Turkey had previously objected to certain provisions of this convention and, in its own statement, called for necessary clarifications to be added to disputed sections.
Earlier, there had been speculation that Turkey did not support the joint statement. However, Turkish officials dismissed these claims as “misleading and baseless.” The country’s official statement noted: “Some clauses of the document required further coordination with relevant institutions to align with Turkey’s international obligations. Nevertheless, most of the proposed measures in the statement had already been implemented by Ankara.”
Turkey reiterated its firm support for any international action defending Palestinian rights and stated that its policy on Gaza is based on facts and human rights principles.
Official Response to Fake News
The Turkish Presidency’s Center for Combating Disinformation rejected contradictory claims regarding Ankara’s stance. It emphasized that Turkey’s final decision to join the Bogotá statement was communicated to Colombia on July 25, after legal ambiguities were resolved. This move reaffirms Turkey’s continued policy of supporting the Palestinian people against Israel’s human rights violations.
