Dutch reception at the Consulate General
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Mr Kervers, ladies and gentlemen,
First of all, I would like to thank you, Mr Kervers, for receiving this delegation of Turkish and Dutch representatives here in the Palais de Hollande.
This wonderful building in the old, lively part of Istanbul is the ideal venue in every sense to bring this successful visit to Turkey to a stylish close. In the Netherlands, we proudly call this building ‘the pearl of the Istiklâl Caddesi’. We are standing here on historic ground. This was the place that the first Dutch representative to the Ottoman Sultanate, Cornelis Haga, made his home in 1612. Not this same building, however, because this one was built later, in 1859, on the same spot.
And so, the Netherlands and Turkey have already maintained relations with one another for four centuries. We both have benefited from this. Turkey, the portal to Asia, is situated – just like the Netherlands – at the intersection of trade routes, and it is of great importance to Europe.
The Netherlands, advantageously situated on the North Sea with the world port of Rotterdam and first-class links to the hinterland, is the major transit country of Europe.
Both our countries have every reason to cooperate and do business with each other. This is even more true in these current, turbulent times. An economic storm is battering the world, overturning companies and institutions that we thought could never fall. This storm is not leaving our countries untouched. We too are experiencing hard times.
For just this reason it is a good thing to examine the importance of exchanges between Turkey and the Netherlands. Exchanges from which both our countries can draw economic strength. And we need this strength now more than ever to retain our competitive positions in these difficult times.
It is, therefore, a good thing that over the past few days, both in Ankara and here in Istanbul, we have taken the time to discuss with each other how we can cooperate, complement one another, benefit from each other’s knowledge and knowhow, and how we can do business together.
This morning this was emphatically treated during the seminar on the Competitive Development of Ports in Turkey. I stressed that there are enormous opportunities open for cooperation.
The Netherlands would be pleased to support Turkey in words and actions in the development of the urgently needed infrastructure in and around the ports.
The safety culture certificates that I presented today, to the trainers of truck drivers, are, in my opinion, an excellent and practical illustration of our cooperation. They provide Turkish truck drivers with the papers they need for loading in the Netherlands. And this is beneficial to both the Dutch and Turkish economies.
During this successful visit to Turkey we have strengthened our good relations even further. I sincerely hope that it will provide the impetus for further cooperation. I would now like to propose a toast (glas heffen) to fruitful exchanges between Turkey and the Netherlands.