Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met his Malaysian counterpart and prime minister as part of his visit to the country on Sunday, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
Fidan embarked on a two-day visit to Malaysia on Saturday. Upon his arrival on Saturday, the ministry added that Fidan was received by his Malaysian counterpart Zambry Abdul Kadir and also met with Penang State Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
Fidan was later received by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and also met Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The top diplomat’s visit to Malaysia comes after he participated in a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Türkiye was granted the status of ASEAN sectoral dialogue partner in 2017. The trade and political bloc comprises 10 Southeast Asian nations.
"The enhanced cooperation between Southeast Asia and Türkiye has the potential of a lasting impact on the global state of affairs," Fidan said.
“Türkiye seeks peaceful solutions to today’s increasingly complex conflicts. From Ukraine to Somalia, the Philippines and the Balkans, we are proud of the tangible results of mediation efforts.”
ASEAN has truly been an important platform in establishing peace and prosperity in Southeast Asia, Fidan added.
“Türkiye and ASEAN together can truly present significant peaceful solutions.”
Stating that Türkiye saw exports worth $254 billion in 2022 and its GDP reported a 4% year-on-year growth in the first quarter of 2023, Fidan said that Türkiye and ASEAN are major powerhouses for economic growth in their prospective regions.
