Foreign Minister Feridun Sinirlioğlu is paying a visit to Luxembourg to attend the Informal Meeting of EU Foreign Ministers (Gymnich) on 4-5 September 2015.

In the context of his visit, Foreign Minister Sinirlioğlu met with Jean Asselborn, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs and Minister of Immigration and Asylum. Speaking at the joint press conference held following the meeting, Foreign Minister Sinirlioğlu stressed the alliance and partnership between the two countries and stated that the already good bilateral relations could be further developed. Foreign Minister Sinirlioğlu also expressed his hope to continue working closely with Luxembourg for solving numerous pressing problems.

Highlighting Luxembourg's responsibility as the current holder of the EU presidency, Foreign Minister Sinirlioğlu said that the current refugee flow constituted a pressing problem for both Turkey and the EU and touched upon the significance of joint steps to be taken by Turkey and the EU on that matter.

Foreign Minister Sinirlioğlu said that the main culprit of the prevailing humanitarian crisis was the Assad regime and described what people go through for survival and providing a better future for their families by risking their lives as a tragedy. Foreign Minister Sinirlioğlu also added that finding out a solution to that problem was everyone's responsibility.

Speaking at the joint press conference organized after the meeting, Jean Asselborn, Luxembourg's Foreign and European Affairs, Immigration and Asylum Minister, described the meeting as highly productive. Mr. Asselborn said that Turkey and Luxembourg were two friendly and partner countries working together in NATO and international organizations. Emphasising the importance that Luxembourg attached to bilateral political, economic and cultural relations with Turkey, Mr. Asselborn reminded Luxembourg's support to Turkey's EU membership bid from the very beginning.

Mr. Asselborn, referring to the refugee crisis as topping the agenda of the informal meeting where EU foreign ministers come together, said that Foreign Minister Sinirlioğlu's participation in the meeting and the humanitarian assistance Turkey extends to Syrian refugees by hosting up to 2 million of them was of great importance.

Within the scope of his visit to Luxembourg, Foreign Minister Sinirlioğlu also met with Federica Mogherini, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Didier Reynders, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs.