Qatar PM invites Turkey to join Gaza reconstruction conference

Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim Al-Thani told Erdogan that his country desired to organize an international conference on the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip in the coming days, and asked for Turkey's support for such an initiative, the Anatolian Agency reported.     Â

Al-Thani also said Qatar highly appreciated Turkey's sensitivity regarding regional peace and the Gaza issue during his meeting with Erdogan at the Prime Ministry building in Ankara.

Erdogan told his Qatari counterpart that Turkey would carry on with its efforts to establish regional peace, adding that the conference planned by Qatar is a positive development.

Egypt is to host an international conference in coordination with Abbas's Palestinian Authority on March 2 on Gaza reconstruction, which was devastated during the Israeli onslaught. Gaza's cost has been estimated at $2 billion. Saudi Arabia has said it would donate $1 billion.

Last week, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit urged Europe to help with fast aid for the Gaza Strip, saying the reconstruction meeting would require damage assesments and the support of the European Union, the United Nations and others.