The spokesman for Turkiye's Justice and Development (AK) Party on Monday reiterated his country's support for Kazakhstan's peace, stability, unity, and territorial integrity amid ongoing unrest in the Central Asian country.
"Turkiye will always stand by its friend and brother Kazakhstan under all circumstances," said Omer Celik during an AK Party Central Executive Board meeting chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The closed-door meeting at party headquarters lasted three-and-a-half hours.
Underlining that Turkiye and Kazakhstan have deep-rooted relations, Celik said Turkiye is closely following the situation in Kazakhstan.
Praising "productive and extensive" high-level visits between the two countries, Celik said the establishment of the Organization of Turkic States was a very valuable step to enhance relations between Turkic-speaking nations.
After gas prices in Kazakhstan doubled on Jan. 2, triggering protests, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared a state of emergency in Almaty and Mangystau before expanding it nationwide.
He later requested a Russian-based military alliance for help, which sent troops to quell the unrest.
Israel's illegal settlements
Celik also condemned Israel's approval of new plans to construct over 3,500 additional illegal settlement units in occupied East Jerusalem.
Underlining that Israel's recent "radical" steps undermine the two-state perspective, Celik said they also prevent the emergence of a self-contained Palestinian state.
Celik called on the UN to take action against Israel's ongoing illegal settlement activities in Palestinian territories and urged the world body to take legal measures to prevent recent acts.
Celik's statements came after the approval of five settlement plans containing 3,557 new settlement units in occupied East Jerusalem by a local Israeli planning committee last week.
Israel has in recent years intensified its settlement activities in East Jerusalem.
The West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is regarded as occupied territory under international law, making all Jewish settlements there illegal.
*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz -
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