Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu

A decision communicated on Tuesday afternoon by Libya  is nothing less than a "slap" in the face for the government of Abdulhamit Dbeiba, but also of Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

It's time for Sweden to join NATO because it has done what's necessary to secure Turkey's approval for membership, the military alliance's secretary-general said Monday.

"I have said that time has come to bring to an end the ratification process for Sweden," Jens Stoltenberg told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet in an interview.

"Sweden is confident that Turkey will approve its application for NATO membership, but we cannot fulfill all Turkish demands," Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Sunday, quoted by the Reuters agency.

Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has embarked on a five-nation Africa tour, which includes a visit to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Gabon and Sao Tome and Principe.

He will visit these countries between Jan. 8 and 14, the Foreign Ministry said in a written statement over the weekend.

The State Department said on Jan. 5 it has adopted Turkey's preferred spelling for the name of the country, Türkiye, acceding to a request from the NATO ally after several months of hesitation.

Israel's national security minister's "provocative action" against Al-Aqsa Mosque is "unacceptable," Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu told his Israeli counterpart in a telephone call, the Foreign Ministry said on Jan. 4.

Turkey's AK Party spokesman Omer Celik said Monday that the government is mulling bringing elections "slightly" forward (the country's parliamentary and presidential elections are scheduled to be held on June 18), a decision which could have implications for Greece.

Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu held a phone conversation with the minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on Jan. 3 and discussed the latest developments in Afghanistan and the raid on Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu attended the swearing-in ceremony on Jan. 2 of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who returned to power as Brazil's president for a third term.

"Attended oath taking ceremony of @LulaOfficial, President of #Brazil. Conveyed President (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan's message of congratulations," Çavuşoğlu said on Twitter.

Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu had a phone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and discussed the details of the tripartite ministerial meeting with his Syrian counterpart.