New top diplomat emphasizes ‘national’ foreign policy

ANKARA

Türkiye’s newly appointed foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, has emphasized that he will work to further improve “national foreign policy” in line with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s vision and values during his tenure.

“During my tenure, I will exert all the efforts for the unity, security and prosperity of our state and our people in line with the vision and values our president - who has been reelected with the strong support of our people - represent,” Fidan said during the handover ceremony with his predecessor, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, on June 5.

Fidan, who ran the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) since 2010, was appointed as the foreign minister by Erdoğan over the weekend. Fidan took over the post from Çavuşoğlu, who was at the helm of the Foreign Ministry since 2014.

“I will continue to improve our national foreign policy vision, which is based on the sovereign will of our people and independence of our state from all spheres of influence,” Fidan added.

Recalling that he and Çavuşoğlu worked together in many critical and difficult cases over the years, Fidan said he was honored to join the Foreign Ministry on the centennial of the Republic of Türkiye and 500th anniversary of the establishment of Turkish diplomacy.

“I thank for the confidence shown for me,” Fidan added.

For his part, Çavuşoğlu thanked the Turkish diplomats with whom he worked together since 2014. “We have protected together [with Fidan] our country and our people in the most difficult geographies concerning some very sensitive matters. I will always be at the disposal of our minister and our ministry,” he stated.

HH Handover ceremony at Energy Ministry

On the same day, Alpasrlan Bayraktar has taken over the job from Fatih Dönmez as the energy minister. Bayraktar, who has been working as the deputy minister at the Energy Ministry, vowed that Türkiye would further strengthen his role in its region in the field of energy in the coming period.

“We have overcome many challenges during the pandemic and energy supply crisis,” he recalled.

Other ceremonies were held at the Education Ministry, the Family and Social Services Ministry, the Youth and Sports Ministry, the Labor Ministry and the Transportation and Infrastructure Ministry.

HH Cabinet to convene on June 6

Following the completion of the handover ceremonies, the new ministers will convene for their first cabinet meeting under the leadership of Erdoğan on June 6. The new ministers will take oath at the parliament on June 7.