<strong>Text: Luis Ayllón/ Photos: Juan David Latorre</strong> <h4><strong>The Turkish ambassador in Madrid, Nüket Küçükel Ezberci, reiterated her country's gratitude to Spain for its "pioneering position" in Europe in the recognition of Palestine as a State.</strong></h4> Nüket Küçükel Ezberci made this statement during the <strong>reception</strong> she offered on Tuesday at the Intercontinental Hotel on the occasion of <strong>the 101st anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Turkey.</strong> The reception was attended, along with numerous ambassadors, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Secretary of State for Ibero-America, <strong>Susana Sumelzo</strong>; the Director General for the Coordination of the Internal Market and other Community Policies, <strong>Antonio Rodríguez de Liévana,</strong> and the Deputy Director General for EU Candidate Countries<strong>, Héctor Castañeda,</strong> among others. Also present were the CEO of BBVA<strong>, Onur Genç</strong>; the head the Protocol of the Royal Household, <strong>Bernardo Francisco de Lizaur Cuesta</strong>; the President of the Senate's Foreign Affairs Committee, <strong>José Ignacio Landaluce</strong>; Spanish and Turkish businessmen and former Spanish ambassadors to Turkey. In front of them, the ambassador referred to the conflicts that are taking place in different parts of the world and stressed the need for cooperation in the face of common challenges, and specifically, "collaboration with Spain, our Mediterranean neighbor, ally and friend, with whom - she said - <strong>we share a similar spirit of commitment, solidarity and a principled approach to</strong> <strong>foreign</strong> policy." She then highlighted that the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, <strong>Hakan Fidan,</strong> made two visits to our country in eight months, on the occasion of the recognition of the Palestinian State, and <strong>thanked "Spain for its pioneering position in Europe on this issue."</strong> She also valued the fact that Spain “<strong>recognises the importance of Turkey's accession to the European Union”</strong> and its support for this process, because - she indicated - “Turkey has a strategic importance in its region and beyond and will also strengthen the EU”. Nüket Küçükel Ezberci recalled that the <strong>Alliance of Civilisations,</strong> promoted jointly by Spain and Turkey, is celebrating its twentieth anniversary and that the 10th World Forum of this initiative will take place in November. Regarding bilateral relations, the ambassador highlighted that 17 memoranda of understanding were signed at the last intergovernmental summit held in June. And in the economic framework, she highlighted that the trade volume reached 19 billion euros last year, and that the objective is <strong>to reach 25 billion for the next period.</strong> In addition, she indicated that there are<strong> more than 700 Spanish companies with investments in Turkey and that the presence of Turkish companies in Spain is accentuated</strong> with important investments. She also highlighted that 700,000 tourists visit the respective countries each year and that ties between citizens are growing closer thanks to the fact that there are more than 100 weekly flights by Turkish and Pegasus Airlines, or the increase in Turkish series shown on Spanish channels. Nüket Küçükel Ezberci ended by expressing her confidence that “relations with Spain, a friendly country, will continue with an understanding of mutual cooperation and solidarity.” After her speech, the ambassador gave way to a congratulatory video from the President of Turkey, <strong>Recep Tayip Erdogan</strong>. In it, Erdogan indicates that his country wants to make peace, tranquility, security and justice prevail both within its borders and in the region and in the world. And he added: “Neither terrorist organizations, nor those who seek to soak our region in blood and set it on fire with their expansionist ambitions, nor the imperialists who support and pamper them will be able to prevent our struggle from achieving its goal.” [caption id="attachment_99225" align="alignnone" width="750"]<img class="wp-image-99225 size-full" src="https://thediplomatinspain.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Asuncion-Ministerio-ok.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="422" /> The Turkish ambassador received Susana Sumelzo, secretary of state for Ibero-America.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_99227" align="alignnone" width="750"]<img class="size-full wp-image-99227" src="https://thediplomatinspain.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Embajadora-con-Eslovaquia-y-Grecia-ok.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="422" /> The Turkish ambassador with her counterparts from Slovakia (left) and Greece, accompanied by their wives.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_99229" align="alignnone" width="750"]<img class="size-full wp-image-99229" src="https://thediplomatinspain.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Con-Azerbaiyan-ok.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="429" /> The Ambassador of Azerbaijan and his wife flank Ambassador Nüket Küçükel Ezberci.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_99231" align="alignnone" width="750"]<img class="size-full wp-image-99231" src="https://thediplomatinspain.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Embajadores-arabes-ok-1.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="422" /> A large representation of Arab ambassadors was present at the event.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_99233" align="alignnone" width="750"]<img class="wp-image-99233 size-full" src="https://thediplomatinspain.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Macedonia-Albania-Serbia-y-Portugal-ok.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="422" /> Left: the ambassador of North Macedonia and his wife. together with their counterparts from Albania, Serbia and Portugal, on the right.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_99235" align="alignnone" width="750"]<img class="size-full wp-image-99235" src="https://thediplomatinspain.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Emiratos-Iran-y-Hazajistan-ok.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="422" /> The ambassadors of the Emirates (left), Iran (center) and Kazakhstan.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_99237" align="alignnone" width="750"]<img class="size-full wp-image-99237" src="https://thediplomatinspain.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Suecia-Noruega-y-Corea-ok.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="422" /> From left to right: Ambassadors of Sweden, Norway and Korea.[/caption]
