Int'l junior diplomats training kicks off in Ankara

By Nazlı Yuzbasioglu and Sumeyye Ozer

ANKARA – Turkish Foreign Ministry on Monday launched the 24th Training Program for International Junior Diplomats in the capital Ankara with the participation of 68 diplomats from around the world.

Deputy Foreign Minister Ahmet Yildiz, Director of the Diplomacy Academy Mesut Ozcan, scores of foreign mission chiefs, including Hungarian, Australian, Slovakian, and Sri Lankan ambassadors, and international diplomats from 68 countries were among the participants of the ceremony.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ozcan said 1,123 junior diplomats had been trained as part of the program since its launch in 1992.

He detailed that 160 junior diplomats were from Asia-Pasific, 93 from the Middle East, 117 from the Balkans, 214 from Africa, 107 from Europe, 328 from the Central Asia and the Caucasus, and 104 from Latin America and the Caribbean.

The program will cover the latest developments in the world agenda, and topics in foreign policy and diplomacy, Ozcan added.

He also said the participants would have ample opportunities to discover the Turkish culture, history, art, and cuisine.

Also speaking at the program, Ahmet Yildiz said qualified human resources underlay success in diplomacy.

“We believe in the importance of training the diplomats we will hand over this profession to. Because the world agenda is getting more complicated by the day, and the topics we as diplomats must follow become more and more varied,” Yildiz said.

He also said Turkish diplomacy was backed by military forces in case of need.

“Today, this is what is necessary in Syria. But, the military options are exercised only after all other options are exhausted toward the solution of the problems that run counter to the interests of Turkey and Turkish people,” Yildiz said.

Organized by the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the program will run through April 29.