Parliament Speaker urges MIKTA states to unite against terror

Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman said the partnership between Mexico, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Turkey and Australia (MIKTA) should intensify their collective efforts in the fight against terrorism and called for these countries to act in unison.

Speaking at the second MIKTA Speakers Summit in Hobart, Australia on Oct. 6, Kahraman drew attention to the July 15 Gülenist coup attempt in Turkey and emphasized acting against terrorism is an universal responsibility. "As you all witnessed on July 15, we experienced a vicious coup attempt that was orchestrated by the Gülenist terror cult. However, this attempt was crushed thanks to the Turkish nation's efforts to protect its democracy. A collective fight against terrorism should be a responsibility of all of us," he said.

Emphasizing the importance of the MIKTA countries in world politics, Kahraman said that MIKTA countries can make a significant difference with the strategies they can develop. "I believe that with the common strategies and coordinated works we can make a difference in the world" he said. "The relationship between public policies and public demands prompt us to think more about open governments and open parliaments," he added.

MIKTA is a consultative-informal forum that brings together the countries of Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey and Australia. The MIKTA platform was launched at an inaugural meeting of the five nations' foreign ministers in September 2013 on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. This September, the MIKTA platform celebrated its third anniversary. Australia is currently holding the MIKTA chairmanship and Turkey will takeover it in 2017.