By Nilay Kar Onum
ISTANBUL
The current relations between Turkey and Argentina are expected to further improve in the coming days, the head of the Delegation of Argentine Jewish Association said.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency in Istanbul, Ariel Cohen Sabban, President of the Delegation of Argentine Jewish Association (DAIA) said: “We think that the relations between Turkey and Argentina will grow from day to day.”
Sabban arrived in Istanbul on Friday with an 18-person Argentinian media delegation invited by Turkey’s Foreign Ministry together with the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey (DEIK) for a three-day visit.
“We are sure that this visit to Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey will bring new business [opportunities] to both countries,” he said. “It will also bring better relations between Argentina and Turkey.”
He stated that Turkey and Argentina were "on the same page" in terms of improving their ties: “Both countries want to improve and want to restart a different vision in the world.”
In January 2017, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had paid a visit to Argentina’s capital of Buenos Aires. It was the first foreign minister-level visit after 18 years.
“You may not always agree [with each other] but you must respect each other and you must be proud of your identity,” Sabban continued.
“We need to understand the past, we need to live the present and we need to project the future. So, the new generation could live on a better planet.”
The ties between Turkey and Argentina dates back to 1910 when the first consular protocol was signed between the two countries. 2010 marked the centenary of bilateral relations, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry's website.
Economic ties
Stating that the economic ties between the two countries fell behind the potential, Sabban implied to ‘huge potential’ in the relations.
“The economic relations between the two countries could be much bigger than today. Today, it is very small in terms of the potential.”
The trade volume between Turkey and Argentina in 2017 stood at approximately $610 million, which also remained below expectations.
He underlined the importance of having “dialogue”, “respect” and “trust” among the nations in terms of establishing better ties.
“I am sure that this way of talking about everything; culture, politics, and problems [between the two countries] will bring a new way of confidence and grow the relations between the two countries.”
The Jewish community in Turkey
Sabban expressed his pleasure that Jewish people had been living in Turkey in “good conditions.”
“Jewish people have been here for many, many years, in very good conditions. […] They are living here and investing in this country. We also need to thank for this,” he said.
“If I am here with kippah [the Jewish skullcap] in this country, I think everything is better than before,” the president of DAIA added.
