Turkish president meets with representatives of Bosnian NGOs

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met on Nov. 7 with representatives of Bosnian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Istanbul.

The closed-door meeting started at 15.20 local time (1220GMT) at the Huber Mansion.

Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu and Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalın were also present.

"We have provided support without any discrimination for the preservation and stabilization of Bosnia and Herzegovina's multicultural and ethnic identity," Erdoğan said, thanking each representative for their "kind visit."

Highlighting that Turkey mobilized all its resources in support of Muslims during the Bosnian War, in which massacres and crimes against humanity took place, Erdoğan said his country will continue to stand by the Bosnian people "in a much stronger and different way."

Regarding Turkey's projects and development aid in Bosnia and Herzegovina, he said not only Bosnians but also Serbs and Croats benefited from these investments.

Underlining that Turkey is closely following developments in the Balkan region, he said it considers every development in the Balkans its own internal matter.

"We are taking the necessary steps to resolve the problems in the region," he said, adding Turkey will continue to work for the well-being of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the entire Balkans.

Turkey will certainly not allow Bosnia and Herzegovina to experience the suffering it did in the 1990s again, he noted.

Regarding Turkey's direct investments in Bosnia and Herzegovina, he said the amount currently exceeds $250 million.

"We aim to increase our bilateral trade, which was $650 million last year despite the pandemic, to over $1 billion in a short time," he added.

"Our work on the...