Mevlüt

Turkey's foreign minister on March 1 held a phone call with his Italian counterpart, diplomatic sources said.

Turkey's Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and Italy's Luigi Di Maio talked about the EU, Cyprus, the Eastern Mediterranean, Libya and bilateral relations, according to the sources.

Ankara has been contributing toward the security of Afghanistan by providing hardware and training support, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said, noting that Turkey would keep its presence in the war-torn country as long as Kabul asks for it.

Turkey is ready to support Croatia on the issue of responding to disasters, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Feb. 26 and pledged to provide help in the reconstruction of earthquake-affected zones.

A trilateral mechanism between Turkey, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan has made significant contributions to the prosperity and stability of the region, the foreign minister of Turkey said on Feb. 23. 

Ankara is ready to contribute to carrying Turkmenistan's gas via Turkey to Europe, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Feb. 23.

"We are ready to do our part for the arrival of Turkmen gas in Turkey and through Turkey to reach Europe," Çavuşoğlu said at a joint press conference with his Turkmen counterpart, Rasit Meredov.

Given the rise in the number of Ankara's diplomatic missions across Africa, Turkey's foreign minister said on Feb. 22 his country's presence in the continent continues to increase.

Turkey on Feb. 22 offered condolences on the killing of an Italian diplomat in an attack on a U.N. convoy in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Ambassador Luca Attanasio, 43, was among three people killed along with Italian police officer Vittorio Lacovacci, 30, and their Congolese World Food Program driver.

Following six years of meticulous researches conducted by experts at the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry, Hungary will return over 400 smuggled historical artifacts to Turkey next week, daily Hürriyet reported on Feb. 21.

"Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu will receive 412 artifacts from his Hungarian counterpart and bring them back to the country on Feb. 25," the daily said.

Fifteen Turkish sailors arrived in Istanbul early on Feb. 14 following their abduction by pirates by pirates off the coast of Nigeria.

The sailors were taken early on Feb. 13 to the Turkish Embassy in Abuja, Nigeria under strict security.

All 15 remaining crew members of the Liberian-flagged ship the Mozart were rescued on Feb. 12 after the cargo vessel had fallen victim to a pirate attack off Nigeria, two involved maritime companies announced.

Borealis Maritime and Boden Maritime stated that the entire crew was now safe in contact with their families, adding that they would return to Turkey as soon as possible.