Minister Cavusoglu: Countries in the region, such as Poland and Turkey, are most affected by the consequences of the war

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu continues his contacts in Lodz, Poland, where he arrived to attend a meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Minister Cavusoglu attended the opening ceremony of the Honorary Consulate General of Turkey in Lodz before the meeting of the Council of Ministers.

Declaring that the Honorary Consulate General of Turkey in Łódź is the fourth Consulate General in Poland, Minister Cavusoglu said: “We will open our fifth office in the near future with your support. Dear friends, there is a war going on in Europe next to us. Of course, the consequences of this war are felt by the whole world, but such countries of the region as Turkey and Poland suffer the most. I would like to thank Poland in front of you for the role they have played in this process and for the responsibility they have assumed. I also think that all of Europe is indebted to Poland, which has taken on many obligations, including the burden of refugees. Taking this opportunity, I would like to once again express my condolences to my dear friend Zbigniew, the Polish government and people in connection with the death of people as a result of a rocket that fell on the border.”

“Poland is one of the first countries to recognize the Republic of Turkey”

Minister Cavusoglu said that Turkish-Polish relations date back 6 centuries: “Our diplomatic relations are among the longest continuous relations in the history of Europe and the world. Thanks to the Treaty of Friendship, which we signed on July 23, 1923, Poland was one of the first countries to recognize the Republic of Turkey. Our relations are progressing and developing in all areas. In the near future, we will further deepen our cooperation, raising our relationship to the level of high-level strategic cooperation. In September, our trade turnover exceeded $7.3 billion. We hope to reach $10 billion this year. As of September, we received 1.1 million Polish tourists in our country. We believe that these numbers will increase even more in the coming years. Of course, we also need to increase the number of expeditions.

About 25 thousand Turks live in Poland. Today we have gathered together with our friends who represent the society. They are very happy living here. More than 5 thousand students study here. Poland is one of the most popular destinations among students. Of course, our honorary consul will both serve our Polish friends and support our citizens living here in his office here. Neither the Polish authorities, nor the central government, governors and local administrators will deny them the necessary support. I would like to thank all of you for being with us today at this meaningful opening.”