Turkey "fully rejects" a statement by the U.S. State Department objecting to a recent meeting between President Tayyip Erdogan and two leaders of Hamas in Istanbul, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.
Turkey's foreign ministry said: "Declaring the legitimate representative of Hamas, who came to power after winning democratic elections in Gaza and is an important reality of the region, as a terrorist will not be of any contribution to efforts for peace and stability in the region."
It added Turkey called on the United States to use its regional influence for a "balanced policy" that will help solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, instead of "serving Israel's interests".