President
Myriam Spiteri Debono

President
Myriam Spiteri Debono

Speech by H.E. President Myriam Spiteri Debono during the commemoration of Türkiyé’s National Day

Your Excellency Erdeniz Şen, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye,

  • It is with great pleasure that I address you here today on the National Day of the Republic of Türkiyé. On this day in 1923, the Republic of Türkiyé was officially declared a sovereign independent nation, commencing a new era for the Turkish people in the determination of their own destiny.
  • As modern nations, Malta and Türkiyé have found in each other stable and reliable partners in bilateral, regional and international affairs.
  • In recent times, Malta and Türkiyé have actively prioritised the strengthening of bilateral ties, as well as the promotion of commercial cooperation and enhanced trade flows. Commercial ties between our two nations, have seen a consistent upward trend in recent years and these developments are signalling the positive potential of our bilateral relations.
  • An influx of Turkish direct investment in Malta is evident; particularly in the fields of construction, infrastructure, transportation, as well as in terms of trade flow of goods and services.
  • The efforts to increase commercial collaboration are further buttressed by the Turkish-Maltese Joint Economic and Trade Commission. Initiatives like this Commission, as well as the Maltese-Turkish Business Council, serve to create more opportunities for both our peoples, to engage, cooperate and forge business; These initiatives also help foster interpersonal ties, creating an amicable and cordial relationship based on trust and mutual respect.
  • It should be our collective duty to provide platforms for people-to-people connections, particularly through cultural and educational cooperation. Appreciating the common heritage of our histories serves to meet this objective.
  • In Malta, a prime example of appreciation for Turkish culture is the Turkish Military Cemetery, designed by Maltese architect Emanuele Luigi Galizia. This architectural wonder, commissioned by Ottoman Sultan Abdulaziz and built in 1874, is a unique manifestation of appreciation of Turkish architecture and, in turn, of Turkish cultural heritage in Malta. It is one of the very few buildings in Malta built in the Oriental style, most other examples were also designed by Galizia.
  • In 2023, around 14,000 Turkish nationals visited Malta as tourists. Around the same number of Maltese chose Türkiyé for their holidays. This is in part due to the excellent air connections between our two nations. Also Istanbul, the city straddling two continents, has also become a transit point allowing Maltese travellers to easily connect flights to far-away destinations. This has made Türkiyé an important junction for Maltese external connectivity.
  • The efforts of both Malta and Türkiyé to increase bilateral cooperation serve to strengthen the basis for cooperation in other sectors.
  • As a Mediterranean and European nation, Türkiyé was, is and will remain a key partner for the European Union. Malta endorses and supports efforts to strengthen cooperation between the European Union and Türkiyé.
  • Malta welcomes the recommendations by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, which recommendations provide an impetus towards the enhancement of EU-Türkiyé relations in strategic areas.
  • Also, and this has to be noted, in view of the challenging circumstances we are facing in the Mediterranean basin, we have a shared responsibility to strengthen our relationship and to project stability at a time when this is lacking. 
  • Security in the Mediterranean, on the basis of diplomacy, dialogue and goodwill, guarantees the prosperity and freedom of our peoples.
  • The situation in Libya remains of significant concern for both our nations and for the entire Mediterranean region. Security and stability in Libya should translate into security not only for the Libyan people, but for the whole Mediterranean littoral, which of course includes Northern Africa.
  • The priority on our agenda remains that of achieving an inclusive, Libyan-led and Libyan-owned political process, facilitated by the United Nations, and one which is founded on dialogue.
  • The stability of the Mediterranean Region is also highly impacted by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, including the disconcerting possibility of further instability in the region.
  • The conflict has been marred by deep humanitarian consequences, which have affected the lives of many, including women and children; tragic consequences that will remain as scars on future generations of both Israeli and Palestinian society. The longer it takes to reach a ceasefire agreement, the unconditional release of all hostages and the cessation of atrocities, the longer it will take for these scars to heal.
  • Malta remains steadfast in its position that a ceasefire and the release of all hostages is the only solution that can lead to the possibility of a just, lasting peace for the region, based on a two-state solution, whereby the two States would live side-by-side in peace and security.
  • Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine remains a foremost concern for both Malta and the European Union. We appreciate the facilitatory and humanitarian efforts by Türkiyé, aiming to bring forward diplomatic solutions between Ukraine and the Russian Federation.
  • Malta stands firmly with Ukraine in its resolve to restore the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. As the international community remains committed towards achieving peace, we must amplify our ongoing efforts to a just and secure future for Ukraine and its people. An important step towards achieving this effort should be made to bring together the two warring sides to the negotiation table. 
  • Both Malta and Türkiyé have shown an active commitment towards multilateralism and cooperation through international fora.
  • Over the last two years, Malta’s active role in the international sphere, both as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council for the term 2023-2024, and as Chair-In-Office of the OSCE for 2024, are evidence of this commitment.
  • Multilateralism is an important tool, which has the potential to be more effective and impactful than it is today if goodwill to achieve this is mastered. We must not waste these precious platforms, but we must seek to utilise them to their full potential.
  • In our activity on these platforms, we must strive to leave a positive impact, prioritising peace, security and, above all, dialogue and diplomacy. All nations, large and small, have the potential to be positive contributors to the international rules-based order, and Malta stands as testament to this very notion.
  • Relations between Malta and Türkiyé serve as a modern-day example of how nations can cooperate, dialogue and negotiate with one another for the mutual benefit of their peoples. I hope that our relations will continue to grow, strengthen and diversify, on a bilateral level, but, also in the way of cooperation in multilateral fora based on the common goodwill of both our nations, for a more stable international rule-based order.
  • On behalf of the people of Malta, I raise a toast to the wellbeing of the Turkish people. I also kindly ask Your Excellency to convey my warmest greetings to the President of the Republic of Türkiyé, His Excellency Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Thank you.

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