Ankara – Turkey said on Monday that it was “saddened” by the Arab and Islamic countries’ decision to sever diplomatic ties with Qatar, saying it was ready to mediate with them to “reach a solution to the crisis.”

The Turkish Foreign Ministry hoped in a statement that members of the Gulf Cooperation Council would be able to reach a solution to the crisis through dialogue and bridging the divide over differences.

It called on all sides “not to forget the challenges the region is experiencing, starting with combating terrorism, which requires everyone to work together.”

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told a new conference after meeting his German counterpart Sigmar Gabriel on Monday: “We see the stability in the Gulf region as our own unity and solidarity.”

“Countries may of course have some issues, but dialogue must continue under every circumstance for problems to be resolved peacefully. We are saddened by the current picture and will give any support for its normalization,” he added.

Cavusoglu later discussed the developments with his Iranian counterpart Mohammed Javad Zarif during a telephone call.

He revealed that they shared the same position on the need to resolve the dispute with Qatar through dialogue, said diplomatic sources.

The dispute was also tackled at a Turkish cabinet session chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday.