Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a series of diplomatic meetings on Monday in New York, where he is currently attending the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. These discussions took place behind closed doors at the Turkish House, also known as Turkevi.
During a meeting with his Vietnamese counterpart, To Lam, President Erdogan extended his congratulations on the latter's recent election as president of Vietnam. The two leaders reviewed bilateral relations as well as broader regional and global developments, according to information provided by the Turkish Communications Directorate. President Erdogan expressed satisfaction with Vietnam's positive response to Türkiye's proposal to elevate their bilateral ties to the status of a "strategic partnership."
The Turkish president emphasized that Ankara is actively working to broaden cooperation with Vietnam, with a particular focus on trade, investment, and the defense industry. Furthermore, he highlighted the importance of continued collaboration between the two nations within international forums to address global challenges. During the session, Erdogan also extended an invitation to President To Lam to attend the upcoming Leaders' Summit of the UN Climate Change Conference, COP31, which is slated to be hosted by Türkiye in Antalya this November. Diplomatic relations between Türkiye and Vietnam date back to June 7, 1978.
In addition to his talks with the Vietnamese president, Erdogan held a separate meeting with the Chairman of Libya’s Presidential Council, Mohamed al-Menfi, at the Turkish House. No specific details or outcomes were immediately released regarding this discussion. The Turkish government maintains that it places the utmost importance on the welfare and security of the Libyan people, citing the deep-rooted historical and cultural ties shared between the two nations.
