America News Agency

Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot made a statement on bilateral relations and regional cooperation following the five-day official visit covering Istanbul and Ankara.

Drawing attention to the scope and economic scale of the visit, Prevot said, “We spent five days in Türkiye for the first Belgian trade delegation chaired by Her Majesty Queen Mathilde. This was the largest delegation ever organized in that country (428 participants). Türkiye is our fifth largest trading partner and we are the eighth largest investor there.”

Emphasizing Türkiye’s strategic position and its link with Europe, Prevot said, “Türkiye is undoubtedly a member of the European family. It is a strategic hub in energy matters, an ally within NATO, and a key player in the security of Europe’s southeastern flank.”

Referring to high-level contacts and the topics discussed, Prevot stated, “Beyond strengthening our economic cooperation, this delegation helped bring our political relations even closer. It provided an opportunity for meetings at the highest level with numerous ministers, including President Erdogan, Vice President Yılmaz, and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.”

Minister Prevot concluded his statement by describing the content of the talks with the following words:

“We discussed important international issues such as the Middle East, the Strait of Hormuz, and Ukraine, as well as our bilateral relations and our relations with the EU.”