No: 167, 26 May 2014

Consultations between Turkey and the Visegrad Group, which comprises of the four important countries of Central Europe, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, at the level of Political Directors of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, will be held on 27 May 2014 in Ankara.

The cooperation process between Turkey and the Visegrad Group, which contributes to the strengthening of collaboration among the countries of the region, along with regional stability and prosperity, was launched at the Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs held in Hungary on 30 October 2013 with the participation of Minister of Foreign Affairs H.E. Ahmet Davutoğlu. The Meeting of Political Directors of Turkey + the Visegrad Group, to be hosted by Turkey will be the first of its kind in which, the parties will discuss Turkey’s EU accession process as well as the Balkans, energy security and current regional and international issues, and in this context, will evaluate concrete opportunities of cooperation.

We believe that the meeting will carry our cooperation with the Visegrad Group further and constitute an important stage for the institutionalization of it, and will also reinforce Turkey’s bilateral relations with the countries of the region.