‘Gaza ‘catastrophe’ pains us’

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KUWAIT CITY, Oct 30: The Ambassador of Turkey to Kuwait Tuba Nur Sönmez says, “There are 2.2 million people in Gaza, half of whom have been forcibly displaced and have no place to hide or escape. They are trapped inside a small strip of land and face daily bombing in an all-out collective punishment campaign. The fall of any civilian victim is a tragedy, regardless of the religious or national identity of the victim. However, the recent Israeli aggression cannot be justified by hiding behind the concept of self-defense.” Ambassador Sönmez said this in her speech during the event held yesterday evening on the occasion of the centenary of the founding of the Turkish Republic, in the presence of the Minister of Justice and the Minister of State for Housing Affairs Faleh Al-Rakba. She said, “This evening is supposed to be the most joyful time of the year for us as we enjoy the joy of celebrating our National Day.

However, we find ourselves moved by the grief of the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza. Although our hearts are full of excitement, they also carry the weight of sadness. The indiscriminate killing, bombing of schools and hospitals, destruction of basic infrastructure, siege, cutting off of basic services, and preventing vital aid – all these acts constitute clear violations of international law. Unless we extinguish this fire immediately, it will lead us into a new spiral of violence that will threaten the stability of the entire region.” The Turkish Ambassador praised the humanitarianism demonstrated by the State of Kuwait to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people.

She said, “Although we have a much older historical friendship, diplomatic relations between Turkey and Kuwait will reach its 60th anniversary in 2024. Therefore, next year we will celebrate 60 years of friendship with joyful activities, God willing. We proudly describe the level of our relations with Kuwait as outstanding, as these relations are built on some strong foundations.

The event was attended by the Minister of Justice and Minister of State for Housing Fahad Al-Ruqubah, as well as various senior officials and diplomatic mission heads in Kuwait. Under the guidance of His Excellency President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad, our relations have reached an ideal level and will continue to grow stronger. The friendship between our leaders had a great impact on our bilateral relations, paving the way for enhancing our cooperation in various fields.” Ambassador Sönmez highlighted that bilateral trade between Turkey and Kuwait is growing every year, adding, “In 2022, our trade volume reached USD 955 million US, which is an all-time record.

Although the numbers are rising, they do not reflect our true potential, and we have a shared vision to diversify business relationships to include new sectors such as defense, technology, and healthcare.” She revealed that the Kuwaiti government signed a contract this year to purchase Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones, which are arguably the most popular drones in the world.

By Fares Al-Abdan
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff

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