Erdogan departs for Pakistan

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday during a press conference in Ankara before his departure for Pakistan for an official visit, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey and Qatar contributed to the negotiation process led by Egypt on the truce process between Palestine and Israel, adding that he wishes a result would come out on Wednesday.  In response to a question whether Turkey would demand Patriot missiles from NATO, Erdogan said, "Assessments on the matter are about to conclude. Necessary reply will be given to NATO. We will take steps. The region under threat on Turkish territory is also territory of NATO." Answering another question about what kind of steps Turkey would take if a truce was not reached in Gaza, Erdogan said that Turkey had taken steps on the matter so far and it would continue to do so. Erdogan also expressed concerns over sectarian clashes in Iraq, saying, "We always had concerns that, God forbid, this conflict may turn into a sectarian clash. Now our fears are slowly becoming real." Following the press conference, Erdogan departed to Pakistan with an accompanying delegation.