Turkey concerned over Serbia’s moving embassy to Jerusalem

Turkey has expressed "deep concern" over Serbia’s decision to relocate its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

"We call on all countries to abide by the UN resolutions adopted on this matter, respect the historical and legal status of Jerusalem, and refrain from steps that will make the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict even more difficult," the Foreign Ministry said on Saturday in a written statement.

It recalled that the annexation of Jerusalem by Israel was rejected by the international community and the UN.

"It has been repeatedly emphasised in various UN resolutions that the Palestinian issue can only be solved with the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestine state on the basis of the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital," it underlined.

Any country’s moving its embassy to Jerusalem would be a clear violation of international law, it added.

READ MORE: Kosovo to recognise Israel and Serbia to move embassy to Jerusalem

US initiative

Turkey’s response came after US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that Serbia agreed to move its embassy to the contested city in July.

Serbian and Kosovar leaders met in a US-sponsored two-day dialogue in Washington where they reached an historic milestone, agreeing to normalise economic ties.

Serbia and Kosovo signed separate agreements with the US in which Serbia agreed to move its embassy to Jerusalem. Kosovo and Israel agreed to normalise relations and establish diplomatic ties.

Serbia also agreed to open a commercial office in Jerusalem in September.

READ MORE: Kosovo-Serbia: The US should act as a negotiator, not a cartographer