Turkey to stay in Afghanistan as long as Kabul wants: Minister

ANKARA

Ankara has been contributing toward the security of Afghanistan by providing hardware and training support, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said, noting that Turkey would keep its presence in the war-torn country as long as Kabul asks for it.

“We will continue to stay in this country as long as our Afghan brothers want,” Çavuşoğlu said on March 1 while addressing online a ceremony held in Kabul for the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Turkey and Afghanistan.

Çavuşoğlu said that the relations between the two countries were shaped around common history and culture.

“Our peoples have been next to each other in the most troubled times. Afghanistan’s recognition of the [The Grand National Assembly of Turkey] TBMM government in the most difficult times of our War of Liberation had given strength to our nation,” the minister said.

He recalled that Turkey was the first country to open an embassy in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul.

“Young Turkey was a country continuing its development while on the other hand was supporting Afghanistan,” he stated.

Underlining that many Turkish teachers, doctors, and officers also took part in the construction of modern institutions in Afghanistan between 1920-1960, Çavuşoğlu said, “Professor Dr. Kamil Urga, who is among these doctors, had served Afghanistan for 17 years and laid the foundation of Kabul Medicine Faculty.”

He also stated that Turkey and Afghanistan closely cooperate in the international arena and multilateral mechanisms and act together to fight against terrorism.

Noting that there are joint efforts and visions in regional connectivity issues, Çavuşoğlu said, “The Lapis Lazuli Transit Trade and Transport Route project is a good example of our work. We discussed what can be done to make this route more efficient with Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan foreign ministers whom I hosted in Ankara last week.”