03:26EU Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi announced Europe will organise a donors conference during a a joint press conference together with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Johan Forssell held in Ankara on Wednesday.
"Europe must immediately organize a donors conference to gather global support for Turkey", informed EU Commissioner Varhelyi. "So far we have mobilized roughly 5.5 million euros in support for the immediate and most urgent needs. This is of course only the first response. This is to provide immediate support, and also the search and rescue operations. But, it is clear that we will have to do significantly more", Varhelyi added.
Forssell, on his side, reaffirmed the 'strong' relationship between Sweden and Turkey. "There is a very strong support for Turkey among ordinary Swedes. Both citizens and non-state actors have donated tents, money, some have even travelled to the impacted site to help on their own initiative. So, the links between Sweden and Turkey are strong on a human level, but also economically and politically," the Minister declared.
Tensions between Sweden and Turkey arose in the past month when Danish politician Rasmus Paludan, leader of the Hard Line party, set fire to a copy of the Quran outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm on 21 January.
In response, Turkey’s government cancelled NATO accession talks with Sweden and Finland, alleging security concerns and arguing that both nations are too lenient on Kurdish groups it considers 'terrorist organisations' residing in the Scandinavian countries.
Turkey: EU commissioner backs 'donors conference' following quakes as Sweden’s minister points to 'strong links' with Ankara
EU Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi announced Europe will organise a donors conference during a a joint press conference together with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Johan Forssell held in Ankara on Wednesday.
"Europe must immediately organize a donors conference to gather global support for Turkey", informed EU Commissioner Varhelyi. "So far we have mobilized roughly 5.5 million euros in support for the immediate and most urgent needs. This is of course only the first response. This is to provide immediate support, and also the search and rescue operations. But, it is clear that we will have to do significantly more", Varhelyi added.
Forssell, on his side, reaffirmed the 'strong' relationship between Sweden and Turkey. "There is a very strong support for Turkey among ordinary Swedes. Both citizens and non-state actors have donated tents, money, some have even travelled to the impacted site to help on their own initiative. So, the links between Sweden and Turkey are strong on a human level, but also economically and politically," the Minister declared.
Tensions between Sweden and Turkey arose in the past month when Danish politician Rasmus Paludan, leader of the Hard Line party, set fire to a copy of the Quran outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm on 21 January.
In response, Turkey’s government cancelled NATO accession talks with Sweden and Finland, alleging security concerns and arguing that both nations are too lenient on Kurdish groups it considers 'terrorist organisations' residing in the Scandinavian countries.
EU Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi announced Europe will organise a donors conference during a a joint press conference together with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Johan Forssell held in Ankara on Wednesday.
"Europe must immediately organize a donors conference to gather global support for Turkey", informed EU Commissioner Varhelyi. "So far we have mobilized roughly 5.5 million euros in support for the immediate and most urgent needs. This is of course only the first response. This is to provide immediate support, and also the search and rescue operations. But, it is clear that we will have to do significantly more", Varhelyi added.
Forssell, on his side, reaffirmed the 'strong' relationship between Sweden and Turkey. "There is a very strong support for Turkey among ordinary Swedes. Both citizens and non-state actors have donated tents, money, some have even travelled to the impacted site to help on their own initiative. So, the links between Sweden and Turkey are strong on a human level, but also economically and politically," the Minister declared.
Tensions between Sweden and Turkey arose in the past month when Danish politician Rasmus Paludan, leader of the Hard Line party, set fire to a copy of the Quran outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm on 21 January.
In response, Turkey’s government cancelled NATO accession talks with Sweden and Finland, alleging security concerns and arguing that both nations are too lenient on Kurdish groups it considers 'terrorist organisations' residing in the Scandinavian countries.