“Lithuania and Turkey have traditionally maintained friendly relations, and we hope that our bilateral cooperation will continue to grow in various fields. Turkey is one of the most important partners among NATO member countries. It plays a key role in the complex eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea region,” said the Minister L. Linkevičius, as he was welcoming the new Ambassador of Turkey.
The meeting focused on new opportunities for political and economic cooperation between Turkey and Lithuania, the promotion of investment and tourism, and the development of a network of honorary consulates. Lithuania’s Foreign Minister was pleased with the bilateral visits that had taken place in 2018. He also reiterated the Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė’s invitation to the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to visit Lithuania.
The Minister L. Linkevičius and the Ambassador of Turkey also discussed situations in the Middle East and Ukraine. L. Linkevičius reassured the Turkish Ambassador that Lithuania highly valued Turkey’s consistent position on Ukraine and Crimea.
The Ambassador of Turkey to Lithuania G. Turan presented his letters of credence to the President Dalia Grybauskaitė on 9 January. This is his first appointment as Ambassador. Prior to this appointment, he served as Deputy Director of the Central Asia and Southern Caucasus Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
G. Turan is the ninth Ambassador of Turkey to Lithuania and the fourth Turkish Ambassador, who resides in Vilnius since the restoration of Lithuania's independence.
Lithuania and Turkey established their diplomatic relations in 1930. The diplomatic relations were re-established in 1991.
