Ankara, 3 October 2019 – Courtesy Call of Ambassador Raul S. Hernandez (right) on Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu (Photo: Turkish MFA)

Ankara, 04 October 2019 - Philippine Ambassador to Turkey H.E. Raul S. Hernandez paid a courtesy call on H.E. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey on 3 October 2019 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ankara.

The call discussed key items raised during the bilateral talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan following Ambassador Hernandez’ presentation of credentials last 22 August 2019.

Ambassador Hernandez expressed the Philippines’ continued commitment to strengthen its bilateral relations with Turkey remains steadfast and imbued with the aim to sustain and enhance the links in all possible areas of cooperation including trade, defense, education, and culture and tourism, and Turkey’s role and assistance in the peace process in Mindanao.

Further, the Philippines can be a significant partner with Turkey in its latest foreign policy decision to give important focus on Asia under the Asia Anew Initiative, with ASEAN at its heart. Turkey continues to recognize the active role of the Philippines in the region, moreso that the Philippines supported Turkey becoming a Sectoral Dialogue Partner of ASEAN which took place in August 2017 in Manila with the Philippines as Chair of the ASEAN.

With all these developments, both nations continue to look at each other and the respective regions for greater collaboration as the Philippines and Turkey mark the milestone of the 70 years of diplomatic relations this year.

Prior to the call on Minister Çavuşoğlu, Ambassador Hernandez met with Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Önal . END