By Shih Hsiu-chuan / Staff Reporter
Turkish Representative to Taiwan Muzaffer Eroktem said yesterday that Taiwan’s plan to open a representative office in Istanbul would proceed without delay, but he didn’t give a timeframe.
“The matter is pending,” the outgoing envoy told reporters in English on the sidelines of a ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to award him the Friendship Medal of Diplomacy in recognition of his contributions to strengthening bilateral ties.
However, some processes still needed to be completed, he said, refusing to say if opposition from Beijing was behind delays in the plan. Taiwan made the proposal about a year ago.
Erkotem — who has served in the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs for 45 years and whose first and last overseas postings were in Taiwan in 1970-1971 and from 2008 until now — said he would become a visiting academic.
“I am not going to ‘retire.’ After I return to Turkey, I will continue to follow subjects [that I did] not complete during my tenure in Taipei … on aspects of culture and tourism in particular,” he said.
Praising Eroktem as a “highly skilled diplomat” and “an old friend of ours,” Minister of Foreign Affairs Timothy Yang (楊進添) said bilateral relations had “become noticeably stronger” since Eroktem returned to Taipei two years ago.
Turkey is a key trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching US$960 million at the end of July, an increase of 62 percent compared with the same period last year, Yang said.
“We expect to set a new record this year,” he said.
Taiwan and Turkey also enjoy vibrant cultural exchanges, with both nations frequently inviting outstanding performers, groups and people to visit, Yang said.
The significant increase in the number of Taiwanese visiting Turkey was another indication that Eroktem’s efforts to promote his country has paid off, Yang said.
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