Mevlüt

Turkey and Indonesia should work together to support the Muslim community against Islamophobia and discrimination, according to Turkey's foreign minister on Dec. 22. 

"We should support the [Muslim] community by working together with Indonesia and fight against these," Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu told a press conference alongside Indonesian counterpart Retno Parsudi in Jakarta.

Turkey's foreign minister lambasted his Greek counterpart on Dec. 20 over his controversial remarks to a local newspaper. 

"Dear Niko, here's some friendly advice for the new year - stop asking for help from others and injuring the Greek people's dignity," Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Twitter.

Turkey's foreign minister on Dec. 18 said the dispute in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine should be solved within "territorial integrity." 

"The problem at the Donbas region should be solved within the territorial integrity and we are happy that the ceasefire continues, despite some small breaches," Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on an official visit to Ukraine.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and Defense Minister Hulusi Akar paid a two-day visit to Ukraine for talks on ongoing cooperation in the fields of security, economy, trade and regional developments.

Top U.S. diplomat Mike Pompeo has assured his Turkish counterpart that American sanctions imposed on Ankara for its acquisition of a Russian missile defense system were not intended to weaken the country's military capabilities.

The U.S.' unilateral sanctions attack the sovereign rights of Turkey and other countries, the Turkish foreign minister said on Dec. 17. 

In an interview with Turkish news broadcaster 24 TV, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said relations between the two countries could normalize if the U.S. meets Turkey's expectations.

Turkey has said it will lend necessary support to Iraq in its efforts to clear the country from the PKK ahead of a key visit by Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi to Ankara where improving cooperation in the fields of economy and security will be the main course of talks.

No sanctions coming from the EU will change Turkey's positions on its rights in the Eastern Mediterranean, the country's foreign minister said on Dec. 14. 

"It is not possible to give up our rights and interests in the Eastern Mediterranean just because sanctions will come or because the EU will criticize us," Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu told lawmakers during 2021 budget debates in parliament.

There is no way that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan could have intended to insult Iran's territorial integrity, Iran's president said on Dec. 14. 

In a press conference, Hassan Rouhani said that "based on my past knowledge of Mr. Erdoğan, it is very unlikely that he had any intention of insulting our territorial integrity or insulting the Iranian people."

The Dayton Peace Agreement brought "much-needed peace" to the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina after years of bitter fighting, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said in a video message on Dec. 12.