Türkiye ‘indispensable’ partner for UK, says British top diplomat

ANKARA

Türkiye is an indispensable partner for the United Kingdom, the British top diplomat said, hailing the prospect of further deepening the bilateral relationship between the two NATO allies.

British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly held talks in Ankara with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan late on Sept. 13. The two men held a joint press conference following their talks.

According to the British top diplomat, Türkiye is an indispensable partner, and ties between Türkiye and the U.K. are “stronger than ever.”

“Our ties are stronger than ever. This year, over 4 million British citizens are expected to visit your country,” Cleverly said, expressing his satisfaction for being able to visit Türkiye on the centennial of the Turkish Republic.

“Türkiye is highly crucial for our mutual security and mutual prosperity,” he stressed, underlining that this cooperation with Türkiye is important for Europe and beyond.

On the bilateral front, Cleverly hailed growing trade ties as the volume has exceeded 25 billion pounds, with expectations that it will further increase after the completion of the new free trade agreement.

On NATO, the minister stressed that Türkiye and the U.K. are allies and pay attention to each other’s security concerns.

“The preservation of peace and security in Europe is of utmost importance to us. In this regard, we know that Türkiye has truly significant commitments to NATO,” he stated.

Cleverly, on a question, welcomed Sweden’s path to join NATO as the Nordic country will contribute to the collective security. He said, at the same time, Britain is attaching importance to addressing the security concerns of Türkiye.

The minister also praised the Turkish government’s efforts for the resumption of the Black Sea grain initiative.

For his part, Fidan underscored the importance of the bilateral ties with the U.K. and expressed Ankara’s expectation of hosting British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in the coming period.

On the bilateral front, the free trade agreement will expand the scope of bilateral trade, Fidan said, informing that the preparations are underway to this end.

On a question on Sweden’s NATO membership, Fidan recalled the agreements with Sweden in June 2022 and July 2023 and that the process is moving forward in line with them.