Bolivia set to open embassy in Turkey amid growing ties

CARACAS – Anadolu Agency

Bolivia plans to open an embassy in Turkey to cement bilateral relations, Turkish presidential sources said late Jan. 9.

The agreement on opening the embassy was reached at a meeting between Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay and Bolivian President Juan Evo Morales Ayma in the Venezuelan capital Caracas.

During the meeting, they acknowledged that significant progress had been made in their countries' relations after Turkey opened an embassy in Bolivia last year.

The two countries agreed that the Bolivian embassy should be opened in the first half of this year.

Both Oktay and Morales emphasized that cooperation between Turkey and Bolivia should be increased, especially in the area of defense.

Oktay arrived in Venezuela’s capital late Jan. 9 to attend President Nicolas Maduro’s inauguration ceremony.

Speaking to reporters after landing at Simon Bolivar Airport, Oktay said Turkey and Venezuela will have the opportunity to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments.

After being welcomed by Venezuelan officials, Oktay expressed his happiness over the two countries’ relations, which had made great progress recently.

He said President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s historical visit to Venezuela in December took bilateral ties to new levels.

Maduro is preparing to start his second six-year term.