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- Alongside Turkish President Erdogan, Canadian leader commends Ankara's defense industry and pivotal mediation in global conflicts
UPDATES WITH REMARKS BY CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER MARK CARNEY, CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE, ADDS DETAILS
By Gizem Nisa Demir and Yasin Gungor
ISTANBUL (AA) - Relations between Canada and Türkiye will expand "for generations to come," Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, announcing that the two nations are elevating their ties to a strategic partnership.
"Our goal is not self-sufficiency; it is collective resilience, and that's why Canada is building deeper partnerships with reliable partners that create new opportunities for us both, and in Turkey, we have an exceptional partner," Carney told a joint news conference.
Carney pointed to Türkiye's role as boasting NATO's "second-largest standing military" alongside one of the world's most "innovative defense industries."
On regional security, the Canadian leader commended Ankara's diplomatic weight on the international stage, noting that Türkiye plays "central roles" in resolving the world's "most difficult conflicts," including crises spanning Gaza, Ukraine, and the Iran war.
Arriving in Ankara on Thursday for the first bilateral visit to Türkiye by a Canadian premier, Carney said the trip aims to strengthen ties and create new economic opportunities between the two countries.
"Landed in Ankara. This is the first bilateral visit to Türkiye by a Canadian Prime Minister, and we're here to elevate our partnership," Carney said on US social media company X.
He also emphasized opportunities to expand access to Türkiye's market of more than 85 million people and create new economic opportunities for Canadian workers and businesses.
Erdogan welcomed Carney with an official ceremony at the Presidential Complex in Ankara featuring both countries' national anthems and a 21-gun salute, before the two leaders held a bilateral meeting followed by talks between their delegations.
Muhammed Yasin Güngör,Gizem Nisa Çebi Demir
