Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on Monday reiterated that Turkey would never give up its battle on the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) and its presence around the globe. He was speaking after a meeting with his Argentinian counterpart Susana Malcorra.
Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu, during his visit to Buenos Aires, is said to have provided Malcorra with a list of possible measures against FETÖ. The Turkish foreign minister also emphasized on the importance of institutional dialogue between the intelligence, security and relevant agencies of the two countries to better fight the terrorist group.
Çavuşoğlu, the first Turkish foreign minister to visit Argentina in 19 years, said he handed an updated version of a list, which he had previously given to his Argentine counterpart when they last met in New York.
He pointed out the importance both countries attach to their bilateral ties, which was evident in a meeting between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Argentine President Mauricio Macri at last year's G20 summit in China, where both expressed their desires to expand cooperation. He, however, blamed the Armenian diaspora in Argentina as the principal cause for colder bilateral ties, adding that Malcorra, with her considerable background in the United Nations and her government's attitude regarding the Armenian genocide claims, were praiseworthy. "Neither country wants their ties to be constrained due to such a contentious issue," the foreign minister said. "We both agreed on the fact that serious reforms within the U.N. were necessary," he said.
Turkey has been calling for major reforms in the U.N., including changing the structure of the Permanent Security Council, with President Erdoğan's calls, "The world is bigger than five," alluding to the permanent members of the Security Council for having a stranglehold on world diplomacy.Çavuşoğlu confirmed that his official South America visit will soon be followed by an official tour by the president, who he said paid great importance to expanding diplomatic and commercial ties with the continent. FM Çavuşoğlu also visited Paraguay yesterday and will also visit Dominican Republic and Mexico, as part of his Latin America tour between Jan. 30 and Feb. 3.
