Juan David Latorre
“Happy and proud” were the words with which the Turkish ambassador, Burak Akçapar, expressed his emotion last Friday at the reception he gave on the occasion of the ninety-ninth anniversary of the founding of his country’s Republic.
“Also, the Turkish ambassador continued, this year marks the 240th anniversary of the signing of the Friendship and Trade Agreement, which is considered the beginning of diplomatic relations between Turkey and Spain.” Today, Burak Akçapar pointed out, “the point reached in relations between the two countries can only be described with happiness by an ambassador,” indicating that “in almost all areas of our relationship we are at a unique and unprecedented point,” and relations “continue to advance in almost all parameters.”
Ambassador Burak Akçapar then summed up his first year as ambassador, in which he highlighted visits at the highest level by the respective presidents, ministers and secretaries of state, as well as the signing of 6 agreements on a wide range of issues; the visit of the President of the Turkish Grand National Assembly to Spain on two occasions, one bilateral and the other for the Inter-Parliamentary Union; the Turkey-Spain Joint Economic and Trade Commission met in Madrid at ministerial level or the strong Spanish presence at the Antalya Diplomatic Forum, which is Turkey’s gift to the world of diplomacy, all with a very positive outcome.”
“Since the last Ankara Summit, Turkey and Spain have designated each other as Comprehensive Allies. Turkey has only one Global Ally. Spain also has only one Comprehensive Ally. Our partnership is strategic. It is special. It is unique,’ the Turkish ambassador said.
Referring to the trade volume of relations between the two countries, Burak Akçapar stressed that “it has broken a record last year and will do so again this year. We are moving with determination towards $20 billion.”
“We worked together at the NATO Summit in Madrid,” the Turkish Ambassador concluded, “and I am confident that Spain will be equally successful as EU President. We have further strengthened the strongest Alliance in the history of the world. In Turkey, we have increased our efforts in the fight against terrorism and we have succeeded. NATO demonstrates why European security cannot be possible without our country”.
To conclude the celebration, a statement from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was read out, in which he noted that “we have succeeded in making Turkey stand out as a country for its exemplary democracy and attractive economy, for its diplomacy, whose progress is followed with keen interest, and for defending its national unity and brotherhood in the most categorical manner against all kinds of sabotage.”
“At a time of growing uncertainty,” the Turkish president’s statement continued, “all our efforts aimed at achieving peace, development and justice are greeted with praise by all segments of society. From ending the humanitarian tragedy in Syria to resolving the crisis between Russia and Ukraine, we are working towards establishing a zone of peace and security around our country through our enterprising and humanitarian foreign policy”.
A large number of guests attended the reception, including the ambassadors of Finland, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Norway, Albania, North Macedonia, Bangladesh, Qatar, Tunisia and Ghana, along with the former ambassador of Russia, Yuri Korchagin.
