Swedish Syriac delegation meets Turkish officials to discuss joint agreements

ANKARA — On 18 December, a delegation led by Syriac representative of the Christian Democratic Party in Sweden Yusuf Aydin representing the Joint Committee of Syriac Orthodox Milli Councils in Sweden held a series of meetings with high-ranking Turkish officials. The discussions included engagements with Mehmet Şimşek, Turkey’s Minister of Treasury and Finance, and Burhanettin Duran, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Additional meetings were conducted with Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure; Nuri Ersoy, Minister of Tourism and Culture; Ömer Bulut, Assistant Minister of Environment and Urban Planning; and other prominent figures, including Efkan Ala, Vice-President of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party, Atilla Toros, Head of the Immigration Department, Vedat Işıkhan, Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, and Numan Kurtulmuş, Speaker of the Turkish Parliament.

According to Ilhan Aydin, spokesperson for the Joint Committee, the meetings were conducted in a cordial atmosphere and resulted in agreements.

The Joint Committee of Syriac Orthodox Milli Councils in Sweden includes prominent leaders such as Aydin Jalma, President of the Milli Council of the Diocese of Sweden and Scandinavian countries, along with his deputy Zaki Basso. Also in attendance were Robert Khalaf, President of the Milli Council of the Patriarchal Vicariate in Sweden, and his deputy Suleiman Kurt.

The meetings signify an important step in fostering dialogue and cooperation between Syriac communities in Sweden and Turkish government officials.