‘Centuries-old history strengthens Turkish-Dutch ties’

Turkey's top diplomat on Thursday said one of the strength of his country's bilateral relations with the Netherlands is their four centuries of history.

"The long history of Turkish-Dutch bilateral relation is one of our strengths going back over 400 years," Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu told the opening of the 7th meeting of the Wittenburg Conference in the Netherlands' capital Amsterdam.

"This year, as the Turkish side, we wanted to name the motto for this conference as Turkish-Dutch Partnership 2.0," Çavuşoğlu said, thanking his Dutch counterpart Stef Blok for the hospitality.

He added that the conference would set the guidelines in bilateral relations in the future.

Çavuşoğlu recalled that the two countries agreed on intensifying discussions on how to further enhance cooperation in various areas in 2008.

"A memorandum of understanding was signed between our predecessors to initiate the Wittenburg Conference," he noted, and said: "It aims at ensuring the enhancement of our relations and cooperation through meetings of specific working groups."

He went on to say that the conference also provides a ground for exchanging views on the areas of common interest.

"At the time of instability and uncertainties around the world and in the Europe, both Turkey and the Netherlands can benefit a lot from these discussions," Çavuşoğlu said, adding Turkey and the Netherlands would work together in "shaping dynamics" in the region for peace, prosperity and stability.

Attributing great importance to the conference, he said it enabled the sides to improve political, economic and social ties in various fields.

Çavuşoğlu also noted that he expected to "stand up together" against common threats and forms of exclusion, such as ethnic and religious hate, discrimination, extremism, xenophobia and Islamophobia.

"In addressing such widespread challenges, Turkey will continue to stress the need for transparency, diversity, dialogue and inclusive policies," he said.

Following the bilateral meeting, Çavuşoğlu and Blok will hold a news conference. Çavuşoğlu will later attend the official inauguration of the Turkish Consulate General in Amsterdam.

He is also due to meet the representatives of Turkish non-governmental organizations.