Türkiye and North Macedonia enjoy historical and cultural ties as well as a strong bond of partnership, according to Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu.

"Türkiye is grateful to the government and people of North Macedonia for standing by us from the first moment following the earthquake," Çavuşoğlu said Monday.

The Turkish diplomat was addressing a joint news conference with his North Macedonian counterpart Bujar Osmani, the term president of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and Helga Schmid, secretary-general of the OSCE in Ankara, two weeks after twin earthquakes devastated southeastern Türkiye and left more than 41,000 dead and 108,000 injured across the southeast.

North Macedonia declared Feb. 13 as a day of national mourning and sent a search and rescue team of 190 people to the disaster zone immediately afterward, Çavuşoğlu recalled. The said crew worked with Turkish teams in Adıyaman and Kahramanmaraş provinces and managed to pull two citizens out alive from under the rubble.

The earthquakes in Türkiye were handled as a special topic at the OSCE Permanent Council, while OSCE member states and the secretary-general conveyed their condolences and support at the meeting, Çavuşoğlu further noted.

After the United Nations, the OSCE, including 57 countries from the Euro-Atlantic to Eurasia, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) are the largest organizations in terms of the number of members.

"The OSCE is based on a comprehensive understanding of security," Çavuşoğlu said. "Within this framework, the organization could serve as a platform to improve cooperation between member states in times of natural disasters."

"Reforming the OSCE would be of immense benefit and not only in relation to the earthquakes in Türkiye," the minister further assured. "Türkiye too will take initiative and contribute to the future actions conducted in this area."

Referring to North Macedonia's theme for its OSCE term presidency "Everything is About People," Çavuşoğlu said, "This actually coincides with our country's 'entrepreneurial and humanitarian foreign policy’ as well."

‘Deep historic bonds’

Türkiye and North Macedonia will continue to work closely during the latter’s OSCE term presidency, Çavuşoğlu added.

Monday’s tripartite meeting was centered around topics currently on the OSCE's agenda, according to the Turkish minister, alongside the war in Ukraine.

"The OSCE had a special observation mission in Ukraine. We had to evacuate after the war," Çavuşoğlu informed. "Two Turkish diplomats were at the head of this mission."

Çavuşoğlu, Osmani and Schmid discussed "certain" issues the OSCE is facing, as well as budgetary and reform-related matters.

Çavuşoğlu remains in touch with Osmani regarding the bilateral relations between their two countries, the minister also said.

Emphasizing "the strong bond" between the two countries, Çavuşoğlu said, "The Turks living in North Macedonia are also an important element that connects North Macedonia and Türkiye."

Thanking Osmani and Schmid for their visit to the Turkish capital, Çavuşoğlu concluded by emphasizing that Türkiye "will never forget" the solidarity demonstrated by the OSCE and its member states "during this difficult period."