Wadephul: “Enough is enough”
The flow of goods in the Black Sea, the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea is suffering from the conflicts. A group of states including Germany is searching for solutions.
Istanbul (dpa/d.de) - A group comprising Germany and seven other states intends to work together to find solutions to the Iran conflict and to enable freedom of navigation in the Black Sea, says German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. “We speak with one voice when we say: enough is enough,” Wadephul said in Istanbul.
Besides Wadephul and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who was hosting the meeting, foreign ministers from France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia gathered in Istanbul. It had been decided to use all diplomatic means and to talk to everyone who is directly or indirectly involved, Wadephul said.
He complained that Iran and the pro-Iranian Houthi militia were blackmailing the global economy with their attacks on international shipping. “They are responsible for destabilising the Middle East, for humanitarian crises in Yemen and for food crises in the Global South.” The Straits of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, which are vital for international shipping, have become bottlenecks as a result of the conflicts in the region.
In reference to the Black Sea, where both Russia and Ukraine are attacking ships, Wadephul said: “We have agreed that we want to do everything we can to ensure that both Russian and Ukrainian grain can be exported.” He appealed to Russia to conclude an agreement to this effect.
Wadephul announced that the next meeting of the group of states would be held in Germany.
