Ambassador of Turkey Presents Letter of Credence to President Mori

(L-R: Foreign Affairs Deputy Security Samson Pretrick, Foreign Affairs Secretary Lorin S. Robert, President Manny Mori, Ambassador Ahmet Bulent Meric, Third Secretary of the Embassy of Turkey Erkan Yilmaz and Secretary Francis Itimai of the Department of Transportation, Communications and Infrastructure)

In the morning of October 16, 2014, His Excellency Ambassador Ahmet Bulent Meric of Turkey presented his Letter of Credence to President Emanuel Mori officially accrediting him as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkey to the Federated States of Microesia, with residence in Tokyo, Japan.

At the outset, the President welcomed the Ambassador to the FSM and congratulated him for his successful accreditation as the Ambassador of Turkey to the FSM.  Acknowledging Turkey as a major player, not only in the Middle East, but internationally as well, the President affirmed his desire for the strengthening of relations between the two countries.  He also acknowledged Turkey’s continuing effort to enhance engagement with the Pacific Islands Forum countries, through such mechanism as the Turkey-PIFS Forum Ministerial Meeting, the recent of which was held in Turkey in June of this year.  Sentiments of appreciation for assistance provided by Turkey were conveyed as well.  

At the global level, the President took the opportunity to highlight and emphasize to the Ambassador, climate change as an issue of continuing importance to the FSM.  In connection, the President requested Turkey’s support to the FSM’s proposed amendments to the Montreal Protocol, cementing this matter as a top priority for the FSM.  Note Turkey’s bid for a non-permanent seat of the United Nations Security Council, President Mori offered his sentiments of support.

As it is the usual practice for such an occasion, the official ceremony of the presentation was held at the Cabinet Room of the Office of the President.  Secretary Lorin S. Robert of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Secretary Francis Itimai of the Department of Transportation, Communications and Infrastructure, Foreign Affairs Deputy Secretary Samson Pretrick, President’s Chief of Staff Leo A. Falcam Jr., and staffs were in attendance.