2014 will mark the 600th anniversary of Poland-Turkey diplomatic relations. This is an exceptional event in both European and global history of diplomacy.
The Declaration of Intent concerning celebrations of the 600th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Poland and Turkey was signed by Minister Sikorski and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoğlu, who paid a one-day working visit to Poland on March 21, 2013.
The adoption of the Declaration at the foreign ministers’ level will ensure smooth coordination of preparations to the anniversary falling in 2014. Poland’s MFA has already taken necessary steps in the run-up to this event.
The 600th anniversary of Poland-Turkey diplomatic relations will offer an opportunity to strengthen cooperation in economic and cultural level with Turkey, a regional power with strong economy and considerable demographic potential. Joint projects to be implemented on this occasion will help boost Poland’s positive image in Turkey.
The history of diplomatic relations between the two countries dates back to 1414. According to the “Chronicles” by Jan Długosz, four years after the battle of Grunwald Sultan Mehmed I Çelebi received the first Polish diplomatic mission at his court in Bursa, which was the capital of the Ottoman Empire at the time. In the Polish collective memory Turkey is a country that never recognized the partitioning of Poland. Polish Embassy in Ankara operated without interruption during WWII, while Turkey’s authorities provided relief to refugees from Poland and helped evacuate state gold reserves of the Bank of Poland. For close to 600 years, Poland and Turkey have maintained strong political, economic and cultural ties.
Source: press release of MFA
Photo © Anna Karahan