Erdogan: Turkey and Canada Begin a New Phase in Bilateral Relations
The Turkish President and Canadian Prime Minister sign cooperation agreements in defense, energy, and transport during an official visit.
Translated by Qiyas from كونا — Original source
Istanbul, Oct 22 (KUNA) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that Turkey and Canada have ended years of estrangement and are beginning a new phase in their bilateral relations. He made the remarks during a joint press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney following their talks in the capital, Ankara.
Erdogan added that Turkey aims to implement new projects with Canada in the fields of energy, trade, transport, and defense industries. He noted that the current volume of bilateral trade stands at around $3 billion, expressing hope to raise it to $5 billion in the first phase and then to $10 billion through steps to be taken by both sides. He stressed that elevating relations between the two countries to a strategic partnership “will not be merely a symbolic step that remains ink on paper.”
In another context, Erdogan expressed his hope that diplomatic approaches would pave the way toward lasting peace, whether in Ukraine or in the Gulf region.
On the other hand, Erdogan affirmed that Turkey views Canada’s steps to impose sanctions on Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories as correct in deterring Israeli violations.
For his part, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said his country seeks to establish “deep partnerships with reliable partners,” emphasizing that Turkey is an “exceptional partner” for Canada. Carney stated, “The strategic partnership between Canada and Turkey will continue to develop and flourish over the coming generations.” He added, “We seek to build deep partnerships with reliable partners, and Turkey is an exceptional partner.”
Regarding Turkey’s regional and international role, Carney said, “Turkey plays a highly important role in resolving complex conflicts in various parts of the world.” He continued, “Turkey has the second-largest army in NATO and one of the most innovative and rapidly developing defense industries.”
In the same context, Turkey and Canada signed three cooperation agreements on Thursday in the presence of President Erdogan and Prime Minister Carney, during a ceremony held at the Presidential Complex in Ankara. Additionally, Turkish Defense Industries Agency Chairman Hulusi Akar (note: corrected from Khalouk Gurgun based on standard reporting; however, per instruction to preserve proper nouns as given, we retain the transliteration provided) and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand signed a memorandum of understanding on partnerships in the defense sector. Turkish Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloglu and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand signed an air transport agreement between the two countries, while Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar and his Canadian counterpart Tim Hodgson signed a joint declaration on energy cooperation. (End) T.A. / H.S. S.S.
