UK Foreign Secretary Truss is in Ankara
UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss visited Türkiye and held meetings with Turkish government officials. Truss and Cavusoglu held bilateral meeting and press conference afterwards. Both Ministers stated that UK and Türkiye will continue to work on mutual trade relations, Ukraine, NATO, and defense at the joint press conference today.
Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu said; Türkiye is expecting support from Truss for Turkish businessmen who applied to invest in UK according to Ankara Agreement between the two countries. On defense issues, particularly TF-X National Combat Jet, Cavusoglu reminded that UK Defence Minister Ben Wallace is already to meet Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar in.
Terrorist organization PKK is already on the terrorism list of both countries and the Turkish government has extradition demands, and asset freezing demands from UK government, Cavusoglu mentioned at the press conference. Cavusoglu also said; such terrorist organizations like PKK, FETO, and DHKP-C terrorist organizations were also discussed at the bilateral meeting.
ON REGIONAL ISSUES
Cavusoglu and Truss discussed the last UN humanitarian aid corridor in Syria, the transportation of Ukrainian grain.
Truss said: “It’s very clear that Ukrainian ports must be protected. There needs to be safe passage for commercial vessels. And the United Kingdom is offering our expertise on all of those fronts to make sure that we have the measures in place so that grain can safely leave, but it is going to require an international effort.”
Cavusoglu said, meeting’s subjects were mutual relations, Ukraine, NATO, and Syria. And agreed to increase trade and expand Free Trade Agreement between Türkiye and UK. Also agreed to strengthen mutual defense industry cooperation.
UK Foreign Secretary Truss said about the visit “Talked about steps to get grain out of Ukraine with Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu.” Also, she stated that “Türkiye is an important partner for the UK. We are key European NATO allies.”