The key facts
- Speaker of the Luxembourg parliament Claude Wiseler stated the potential for partnership with Türkiye in the defense sphere and information exchange
- The sides marked the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations; Kurtulmus thanked Luxembourg for supporting Türkiye's EU membership from the very beginning
- They discussed Luxembourg's recognition of Palestine, Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization, and Türkiye's memorandum with Libya
Wiseler: Türkiye's defense industry opens the way to partnership
Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg Claude Wiseler said on Thursday at a joint press conference in Ankara, following bilateral and inter-delegation meetings with Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus, that Türkiye's achievements in the defense industry could pave the way for closer cooperation between the two countries. 'Türkiye has a very strong defense industry,' he said, adding that, in his view, important partnerships are possible in the sphere of communications and information exchange on defense policy.
Call to give relations a new impetus
Wiseler noted that the countries are marking the 80th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. According to him, they have always been partners, held negotiations and maintained contact, but given the current geopolitical situation, cooperation needs to receive a new impetus and reach a new level. 'We are not looking for new partners. You are a long-standing partner for us, but we want to take this partnership to another level,' he emphasized.
Kurtulmus thanked for support of EU membership
Numan Kurtulmus stated that Luxembourg had supported Türkiye's EU accession process from the very beginning, and thanked the country for this. He noted that Türkiye has always considered diplomacy the main path to resolving regional problems and, since the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war, has been playing a strong mediating role.
Discussion of regional conflicts
Kurtulmus reported that the sides also discussed the war launched by the US and Israel against Iran, which, according to him, has turned into an endless spiral of tension that benefits neither those countries, nor the region, nor the world. He spoke of a conversation about Israel's 'aggressive position' in the region and its 'inhumane actions' against the Palestinian people, and also expressed gratitude to Luxembourg for recognizing the State of Palestine last year.
The Caucasus and the memorandum with Libya
Among the topics discussed was the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia: Kurtulmus emphasized the vital importance of this process with Türkiye's participation for lasting peace in the Caucasus and for secure connectivity between East and West, Asia, the Caucasus and Europe. Touching on the memorandum of understanding on the delimitation of maritime jurisdiction zones between Türkiye and Libya, he stated that the agreement 'is not directed against any third country' and will protect the sovereign rights of Türkiye and Libya in their maritime zones in the Mediterranean.
