Ankara: Historical ties and shared values between Indonesia and Turkiye provide a strong foundation to advance relations, said Numan Kurtulmus, speaker of the Grand National Assembly, on Thursday. In remarks to parliament before the Indonesian leader's speech, Kurtulmus emphasized that during Prabowo's tenure as defense minister from 2019 to 2024, close relations were established between Turkiye and Indonesia in the fields of military and defense industry cooperation.
According to Anadolu Agency, Kurtulmus added that after becoming the president, Prabowo continued to prioritize the development of Turkiye-Indonesia relations across all areas. He reminded that the first meeting of the Turkiye-Indonesia High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council was held during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's official visit to Indonesia in February.
"President Subianto becomes the first Indonesian head of state to address our esteemed assembly. Tomorrow, he will also participate in the 4th Antalya Diplomacy Forum," he said.
"Our Turkish language is taught in brotherly Indonesia," Kurtulmus highlighted, noting the development of bilateral relations in trade, defense industry, agriculture, health, and tourism. He also mentioned the cooperation in education, with approximately 5,300 Indonesian students receiving education in Turkiye. Since 2022, Turkish language education has been introduced in Indonesia through the Yunus Emre Institute, for which he expressed gratitude to the Indonesian government.
Kurtulmus remarked on the coincidence of President Subianto's address to the assembly with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Turkiye and Indonesia, viewing it as a valuable opportunity to strengthen ties. He further stated that Indonesia is one of Asia's rising stars, with the global system shifting towards a multipolar, multi-centered structure, positioning Asia as a focal point in economy, trade, education, and new technologies.
Kurtulmus also commented on Indonesia's support for Palestinians, stating, "The brotherly people of Indonesia show great sensitivity to the Palestinian issue." He noted the cooperation between Turkiye and Indonesia in international forums such as the UN, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, G20, and MIKTA, highlighting their mutual support for each other's initiatives.
He concluded by expressing his hope for further development of inter-parliamentary relations and his anticipation of the Indonesian House of Representatives' speaker's attendance at the pro-Palestine Parliamentary Speakers Group meeting in Istanbul on April 18.