ON Oct. 29, 1923, the Turkish nation celebrated its National Day, and today it marks the 93rd anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey. On this occasion, it is a great pleasure for me to address the Turkish citizens living in Saudi Arabia and our Saudi brothers. The proclamation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, following a war of independence under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, whose vision has shed light not only to the Turkish nation but to the whole world, paved the ground for our country to become a land of progress and modernity. On this great day, we commemorate Atatürk, founder of the Republic, his comrades and the martyrs with immense gratitude and compassion. By sustaining the principles set forth during the foundation of the Republic, Turkey now stands as a country with a stable democracy, a dynamic economy, a vibrant civil society and a rich cultural life. However, our drive to more democracy and prosperity has faced many challenges. The last one was the foiled coup that took place on the evening of July 15. A clandestine faction attempted to overthrow the democratically elected government, the president and the constitutional order of Turkey. People from different walks of life took to the streets. They stood against the tanks and guns with their bare hands. The attempt failed, leaving behind 251 dead and more than 2,200 wounded. At such times, the support of our friends is crucial. We are grateful for the support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Turkey and Turkish elected government. We will never forget this priceless support given by our Saudi brothers. Turkish people have cultural, historic and social ties with all nations in the region, particularly with the brotherly people of Saudi Arabia. Turkey and Saudi Arabia enjoy a multi-dimensional relationship. From strong political and military dialogue to security relations, from economic and commercial ties to intense contacts in tourism, from cultural field to people-to-people contacts, we experience a constant progress every passing year. We have been able to enhance our exemplary ties of friendship in recent years more than ever, thanks to reciprocal high-level visits, which have created a new momentum in the Turkish-Saudi relations. In this regard, we believe that the establishment of Turkish-Saudi Coordination Council will further strengthen our relations in all levels and various fields. Turkey and Saudi Arabia are strategic partners. This partnership is key in promoting and preserving regional peace, security and stability. We have similar, if not identical, views and concerns on most international and regional matters. I am confident that Turkey and Saudi Arabia will both gain more by deepening their relations, especially by expanding their economic and commercial cooperation. Turkish and Saudi economies are complementary to each other and we hope that the synergy and the economic capabilities of both countries will lead us to achieve our mutual goals within the framework of Saudi Arabia's Vision for 2030 and Turkey's 2023 Vision. While conveying my best wishes to the well-being, prosperity and friendship of the Turkish and Saudi peoples, I would like to reiterate, in my capacity as Turkish Ambassador, my commitment to contribute to the further strengthening and development of the existing ties of friendship and cooperation between Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Yunus Demirer,
