Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, Mr. Ahmet Davutoğlu on September 27, 2013 met with the Foreign Ministers of Cuba, Chile, Costa Rica and Trinidad and Tobago as the Troika of Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) which was founded in 2011.

Foreign Minister Davutoğlu informed the CELAC Troika of Turkey’s opening up policy to Latin America in details as well as its developing relations with regional countries in recent years in line with this policy implemented as part of a global vision. Stating that Turkey would like to play a more active and effecive role within the institutional bodies of the region Foreign Minister Davutoğlu in this context emphasized that it is Turkey’s desire that the dialogue mechanism is carried out regularly in broadest possible framework at different levels.

Foreign Ministers of the CELAC Troika noted that Turkey’s opening up to Latin America is followed with appreciation and that the CELAC countries would like to further develop their relations in every field from tourism to defense industry, from trade to political dialogue with Turkey which expands its area of influence beyond its own region in recent years. Pointing the serious positive potential between Turkey and the Latin American countries the Ministers said that realization of this potential which is also significant in terms of South-South cooperation in the shortest time would be beneficial for both sides. Foreign Ministers of the CELAC Troika maintained that Turkey’s perspectives concerning the international political and economic issues carry value for all regional countries in a world where borders and distances have lost their importance.

Foreign Minister Davutoğlu stressed that Turkey is ready to further develop the relations in every field with a similar understanding and in this context he added that Turkey is of the opinion that it would be useful to develop the relations in three main areas, namely political dialogue, sectoral economic cooperation (including joint ventures) and cultural contacts, on the basis of concrete projects.

To this end, it was agreed at the meeting to hold technical meetings between Turkey and the CELAC in the upcoming period with a view to determining concrete cooperation projects.

The CELAC which has the biggest number of members among the regional organizations aims to develop political and economic cooperation among its members, to adopt common position on international and regional issues and to establish an effective working relation with other regional organizations.

Turkey’s demand for establishing a dialogue mechanism with the CELAC was accepted at the CELAC meeting on May 2013. Within this framework, the meeting in New York was the first high level dialogue meeting.