Cavusoglu: Türkiye is grateful for the support of every country in post-quake rescue efforts
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu held talks with a representative of the European Commission and a member of the Swedish Cabinet.
“From the first day of the earthquake in Kahramanmaras, European countries extended a helping hand to Türkiye. We are grateful to each country and organization for their support.” said Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu at a joint press conference with European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Oliver Vargeyi and Minister for Foreign Trade of the current EU President – Sweden Johan Forsell on Wednesday in Ankara.
According to the Turkish minister, EU has provided assistance to Türkiye from emergency funds in last two weeks and 1,750 rescuers were sent to the disaster zone, thanks to whose efforts 79 Turkish residents were saved.
“18 EU member states, including Sweden and Hungary, sent humanitarian aid to the disaster zone which includes 50,000 winter tents for the victims of eartquakes” stated Cavusoglu.
According to Çavuşoğlu, today’s conversation also touched upon the preparations for an international fundraising conference to collect aid for the people of Turkey and Syria affected by the devastating disaster.
European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Oliver Vargeyi, in his turn, he said he never experienced such a devastating disaster in his life.
The scale of the pain experienced is incredible, the European Commissioner said, noting that “now is the time for solidarity with Türkiye and the Turkish people.”
“For this reason, we are in Ankara today. We are here to be friends and allies together. The European Union is ready to help,” said the European Commissioner.
Vargeyi recalled that at the first stage, the EU allocated assistance to Türkiye in the amount of 5.5 million euros.
The European Commissioner assured that the EU is ready to support Türkiye to the end against the backdrop of the consequences of the disaster.
On Monday, February 6, two earthquakes with a magnitude of more than seven points occurred in the southeast of Türkiye (at 04.17 local time – 7.7 points and at 13.24 – 7.6 points).
The death toll from the devastating earthquake in southeastern Türkiye has exceeded 43 thousand people.
