Turkish FM Çavuşoğlu: We have opened a new page with Greece

Mevlut Çavuşoğlu reiterated the positive impact of the solidarity offered by Greece to Turkey after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake. Mr. Çavuşoğlu also  expressed his thanks to Israel for the support it offered.

Nevertheless, he also made a special reference to Greece. “With the earthquake, we opened a new page with Greece,” he said characteristically. After all, the head of Turkish diplomacy had thanked the Minister of Climate Crisis, Mr. Stylianidis, for the help the country sent to Turkey.

Çavuşoğlu’s “thank you” to Greece

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, contacted the Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Christos Stylianides, by phone yesterday at 10:30 in the evening, in order to thank him for the humanitarian aid that our country sent to the Turkish people, who were hit by the devastating earthquake.

As it became known, the communication was in a particularly warm atmosphere and Mr. Çavuşoğlu asked Mr. Stylianidis to convey his thanks to the prime minister and the Greek people, stressing that the aid sent by our country is very substantial and not symbolic, as all the things included in the Greek humanitarian aid fully respond to the reality and the needs of Turkey to deal with the huge problems created by the earthquake.

Mr. Stylianidis told Mr. Çavuşoğlu that, as Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis also committed, the country will be on Turkey’s side as long as necessary.

Aid was delivered to Turkey

It is noted that the humanitarian aid mission from Greece to Turkey was completed late last night, as all the materials that had been collected were handed over to the Turkish authorities. This aid was transported to Turkey by a total of eight AEGEAN flights and consists of approximately 80 tons of health and medical equipment and basic necessities, such as 7,500 blankets, 1,500 beds and 500 tents that can accommodate families and be used as mobile clinics.

The cost of transporting the humanitarian aid is covered by 75% by the European civil protection mechanism, while the remaining 25% of the national participation is sponsored by the airline AEGEAN.

It is recalled that the first wave of humanitarian aid was accompanied to Adana by Christos Stylianidis and the Minister of Civil Protection Vassilis Papageorgiou, while it was received by a Turkish delegation on behalf of the Turkish Foreign Minister M. Çavuşoğlu.

During the delivery of the humanitarian aid, Mr. Stylianides conveyed the Prime Minister’s support and emphasized that Greece and the EU as a whole stand by the Turkish people by demonstrating solidarity in action.