MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF CANADA, ANITA ANAND- [SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETATION]

https://www.youtube.com/live/HOCMecfZX4g?si=880zhcDhTq0y470e

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FİDAN- Thank you so much Anita.

Dear press members, at the outset, I would like to express our deepest condolences for those who lost their lives in the earthquake that struck Venezuela. Türkiye stands in solidarity with Venezuela during this tragic time. Our President instructed the relevant institutions to provide every possible form of assistance, and after having completed the necessary preparations, they departed for Venezuela. Yesterday, I also spoke with my Venezuelan counterpart to convey our condolences and reaffirm our solidarity. Here in Canada, I want to share this message with both the international community and the Turkish public once again.

Unfortunately, the earthquake in Venezuela is a tragedy similar to the one we experienced approximately 3.5 years ago. We overcame that catastrophe all together through international solidarity. Hopefully the international community will demonstrate the same spirit of solidarity with Venezuela.

Dear press members, today I am in Canada on an official visit at the invitation of my esteemed counterpart, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand. At the outset of my remarks, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to her and her delegation for their gracious hospitality.

As you know, my esteemed counterpart had visited Türkiye in March and we held highly productive meetings. In response, I am now visiting Canada to translate our discussions into more concrete outcomes as they are still unfolding. This is, of course, a clear reflection of the dynamic nature of our bilateral relations. The relationship between our President and the Prime Minister of Canada, the close cooperation between our respective ministers, and our collaboration in the energy sector as well as in other fields all testify to the growing dynamism of our partnership.

Essentially, there are significant areas of untapped potential for cooperation between Türkiye and Canada that have not been realized for many years. Although they are both NATO members, the two major countries had not been able to fully capitalize on the considerable opportunities available in certain fields. Thanks to the determination demonstrated in recent years by our President and Prime Minister Carney, two great nations have come together to further advance their potential through cooperation… In the fields of trade, economy, defence, and energy, as Anita so aptly put it, our relationship, which is built on these four pillars, continues to develop into a more structured and enduring framework for cooperation. As the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, acting on behalf of our governments and our leaders, we are working to place this relationship on a more institutional framework by ensuring close coordination among all relevant institutions, with the aim of achieving concrete results as soon as possible.

Hopefully, we will host Mr. Carney in Ankara in two weeks, along with Mrs. Anand and the Minister of Defence, at the NATO Summit. In addition, Mr. Carney is expected to pay a bilateral visit to Türkiye at a later date. Today, during this visit with my esteemed counterpart, we had the opportunity to discuss in great detail a number of concrete issues that can be advanced within the current time-frame.

Dear press members, when we look at global developments, we believe that countries such as Türkiye and Canada should engage in much closer cooperation. With this understanding, we have decided to elevate Türkiye-Canada relations to a strategic level, and we are pursuing our efforts accordingly. In line with this objective, preliminary discussions between our respective institutions regarding a Türkiye- Canada Free Trade Agreement have already been initiated and we intend to advance this process as swiftly as possible. We believe that, once free trade between our countries is established, our bilateral trade volume which currently stands at approximately USD 3.2 billion, will increase even further.

Furthermore, we are evaluating opportunities for cooperation with Canada in the field of energy from a strategic perspective. Yesterday, accompanied by the esteemed Minister, we visited the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station and spent half a day there. We truly had the opportunity to see once again Canada’s capabilities and expertise in nuclear energy generation. As you know, Türkiye is actively pursuing the development of nuclear energy; in this regard and we maintain extensive engagement with our international partners regarding the construction of nuclear power plants. Our Minister of Energy has been working day and night on this issue and he was here just a few weeks ago. During my visit to the facility yesterday, I held discussions on how Türkiye could benefit from Canadian technology. I genuinely believe that there is significant potential here and Türkiye - Canada cooperation will yield highly positive outcomes. As you know, beyond conventional nuclear reactors, there has been a major international effort over the past decade to bring small modular reactors into operation. However, in many countries these efforts have yet to progress beyond the conceptual stage. Canada’s concrete steps in this regard have honestly impressed us as Türkiye, and that is why we decided to come here to witness this technology first-hand; our Ministry of Energy has a serious interest in this matter. Our President also attaches great importance on strengthening cooperation with other countries in this regard. Taking a concrete step in Canada was important for us to observe the situation on site. The fact that Darlington has both a conventional nuclear power plant and a Small Modular Reactor (SMR) currently under construction made our visit more practical.

On the other hand, honestly, we see that there is also great potential in the areas of critical minerals and liquefied natural gas. Likewise, we aim to further strengthen and deepen our cooperation in the defence industry. In short, our teams are working on numerous projects that will serve the interests of both our countries. We possess both political will and the determination required to put these projects into practice.

Dear press members, adopting increasingly similar perspectives on major global and regional issues is bringing Türkiye and Canada even closer together. We are striving to resolve international issues through diplomacy and dialogue. We welcomed the signing of the memorandum of understanding that secured the ceasefire between the United States and Iran with great satisfaction. We also regard the extension of this ceasefire to cover Lebanon as a positive development. We hope that the parties will continue to adopt a constructive approach and reach an agreement on the remaining issues as soon as possible. At this stage, it is essential to permanently ensure uninterrupted and unimpeded passage through the Strait of Hormuz. As Türkiye, we will continue to make active contributions to the ongoing negotiation process between the United States and Iran. During this process, Israel must not be allowed to sabotage the talks. The international community must be extremely cautious in this regard. It is imperative that all parties act prudently and responsibly.

Dear press members, we are still going through an extremely sensitive and fragile period in Gaza, and we are not taking our eyes off Gaza. Despite all efforts by the international community, Israel continues to fail to fulfil its obligations. The Netanyahu Government’s obstruction of the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza is, as you are aware, further aggravating the already dire humanitarian situation. We are closely monitoring developments on the ground.

Israel is persistently expanding its military presence in violation of the ceasefire terms and further restricting the living space of the civilian population. The escalating settler violence in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is seriously undermining the foundations of a lasting peace. During our discussions today, we reiterated our position that the Palestinian issue should be resolved in a just and lasting manner based on a two-state solution. We will continue to cooperate with responsible members of the international community on this issue.

Dear friends, as you know, another issue threatening global security and stability is the Russia-Ukraine war. We also discussed this matter with my esteemed counterpart. We want the war to end as soon as possible through dialogue and on the basis of international law. At the current juncture, we observe that the diplomatic process has reached an impasse, hostilities have intensified, and the parties have increasingly focused on seeking military gains. The diplomatic process must be revitalized as soon as possible. In this context, as I conveyed to the parties, I would also like to reiterate before the international community that Türkiye stands ready to once again host the Russian and Ukrainian delegations around the negotiating table in our country.

Today's discussions have demonstrated that relations between Türkiye and Canada continue to deepen on the basis of shared responsibilities and common interests. Under the leadership of our President and Prime Minister Carney, we will continue to strengthen our cooperation.

I would like to once again express my sincere appreciation to my esteemed counterpart for his kind invitation and gracious hospitality.

Thank you for your attention.

QUESTION- My question is addressed to both Ministers. As you know, the NATO Summit will be held in Ankara, in the coming period. Ahead of the Summit, could you share your assessments and expectations? This question is directed to both ministers. Thank you.

MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF CANADA, ANITA ANAND- [SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETATION]

https://www.youtube.com/live/HOCMecfZX4g?si=Id-_DF6J3Elncmge&t=1331

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FİDAN—Dear press members, our preparations for the NATO Summit to be held in Ankara are progressing at an intensive pace. This will truly be a historic Summit, as the international geopolitical conditions have reached a point where the decisions to be made by NATO Allies will be even more decisive during this period. These decisions are important not only for the future of the Alliance, but also for the future of our own region. Certainly, there are several important issues that have been on the Alliance's agenda over the past few years, foremost among them is the increase in defence spending. This is no longer a matter of debate. At the forthcoming Summit, we will once again underscore this point. All countries have accepted this politically; from now on, an inventory will be kept and an accounting will be done regarding the concrete steps being taken in connection with this agreed-upon increase and the types of expenditures being made.

As my esteemed counterpart also noted, perhaps one of the most important issues to be addressed at this summit concerns a long-standing tradition within NATO. Whenever the military and political leadership convened, discussions primarily focused on the structuring and organisation of military forces, their readiness to respond to threats, contingency planning for potential conflict scenarios, and related exercises. However, recent developments - particularly the Russia-Ukraine war and other conflicts- have demonstrated that it is no longer sufficient to focus only on force readiness scenarios. There is now a growing political and strategic awareness of where we stand in terms of defence industrial capabilities, and the necessity of incorporating this dimension into NATO's planning has become increasingly evident. Accordingly, the defence industry is no longer regarded merely as a technical issue within NATO planning and meetings; it has evolved into a strategic issue of the highest order. Therefore, the summit to be held in Ankara next month will include a dedicated agenda on the defence industry, accompanied by a number of special events. Our Presidency of Defence Industries, together with the relevant institutions, is engaged in intensive preparations in this regard.

Naturally, the high-level strategic and political discussions among leaders will also be of great importance. These discussions will address issues such as how differing perspectives on NATO's future can be reconciled, how transatlantic differences can be bridged, perceptions of emerging threats, and the Alliance's overall readiness. At this stage, it is not possible to share substance of these discussions with the public in advance, as their outcomes remain to be seen and there are certain topics to be discussed. I think that these discussions will take place in a constructive spirit, and we firmly believe that our President will play a pivotal role in this process.

QUESTION—[SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETATION] The Turkish delegation visited Darlington yesterday. In particular, of course, I would like to ask what Canada is doing during this visit to facilitate exports in this field.

MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF CANADA, ANITA ANAND- [SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETATION]

https://www.youtube.com/live/HOCMecfZX4g?si=fsiAWWXumlnUnlZQ&t=1773

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FİDAN—Dear friends, as you know, Türkiye is a G20 country with a highly dynamic economy, a strong industrial sector, and significant export capacity. Of course, one of the key determinants in competitiveness here is having access to affordable and sufficient amounts of electricity. In this regard, under the leadership of our President, our Ministry of Energy has achieved remarkable successes over the years. Numerous dams have been built, alternative energy sources have been developed, and the use of renewable and green energy has been significantly expanded. Nevertheless, despite all these efforts, they are still not sufficient to meet our industry's growing demand for energy at the desired pace and cost. Therefore, we need nuclear energy at every opportunity, under all circumstances, and in all situations. We have made significant progress in the nuclear energy strategy launched years ago. We are now continuing our efforts and exploring options for the construction of our second and third nuclear power plants. The understanding and cooperation we have developed with Canada in this regard are of tremendous importance. During my visit to Darlington yesterday, I had the opportunity to observe Canada's unique technology first-hand. One of the aspects that particularly impressed us was its heavy-water reactor technology, which operates without the use of enriched uranium. Although its design and concept date back to the 1950s and 1960s, it has been operating safely and reliably for many years under the highest safety standards, this is significant. While this technology has since been substantially upgraded and modernized, it remains Canada's own indigenous technology, which is particularly noteworthy.

Secondly, in addition to safety standards, there are internationally recognized performance parameters. As the Honourable Minister has just noted, it is currently being widely used not only in Canada but also in Romania, China, and Argentina. This was another aspect that drew our attention. I would also like to thank my Canadian counterpart for the understanding and spirit of cooperation she has demonstrated. Our Ministry of Energy is also closely monitoring this issue with great interest and remains engaged with all relevant parties. Following the visit hosted by the Honourable Minister yesterday, I also met with the executives of the relevant companies and received detailed technical briefings from them. There really is a strong foundation for highly professional technical cooperation in this field, and I sincerely hope that our technical experts will continue to advance this cooperation even further.

QUESTION- [SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETATION] https://www.youtube.com/live/HOCMecfZX4g?si=pZq_hfvN1ma1NQaj&t=2142

MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF CANADA, ANITA ANAND- [SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETATION]

https://www.youtube.com/live/HOCMecfZX4g?si=g48y2kHKzDGajqAG&t=2161

QUESTION—First of all, I’d like to welcome you to Ottava. My colleagues here asked me to convey their congratulations on the Turkish national team’s victory over the United States.

Mr. Minister, as you know, following the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes in 2023, Canada introduced a 3-year special temporary residence and work authorization program, known as TS2023, for Turkish citizens who had educational, commercial or family ties to Canada. Many of those who relocated to Canada under this special program have stated that conditions in Türkiye have not yet fully returned to their pre-earthquake state. Accordingly, they requested the Government of Canada to allow them to remain in the country for a longer period. As you know, those applications were rejected. So, I’m wondering, did you raise this issue during your meetings with Minister Anand, and will Türkiye undertake any diplomatic efforts to secure residency and work permits for Turks currently in Canada on TS2023 visas who wish to remain here?

FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FİDAN- Not only this specific issue, but also broader topics related to visas, work permits, and immigration procedures are being discussed in great detail between us and Canada; we are discussing these matters with my esteemed colleague. Following the press conference, we have one more session, during which we will have the opportunity to address these issues more comprehensively.

QUESTION- [SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETATION] https://www.youtube.com/live/HOCMecfZX4g?si=cHmN38KsKBZIumHp&t=2465

MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF CANADA, ANITA ANAND- [SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETATION]

https://www.youtube.com/live/HOCMecfZX4g?si=t7-gLpMLUFzvguSh&t=2479

* Deciphered by Interpress- unofficial translation from the Turkish text