Qatar's Embassy in Turkey marks National Day

By Ali Abo Rezeg

ANKARA (AA) - The Qatari Embassy in the Turkish capital Ankara marked the country’s 143rd National Day on Thursday.

The celebration, which commemorates the establishment of the Gulf state, was attended by high-ranking Turkish officials including National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar along with scores of Arab and foreign diplomats.

“We are celebrating our national day here in Turkey, the country we love and classify as our second home,” Qatar's Ambassador to Turkey Sheikh Mohammed bin Nasser bin Jassim Al Thani said in his opening speech.

The Qatari ambassador went on to assert that relations between Qatar and Turkey have reached “a distinguished level,” noting that it is easy to notice the “huge harmony and cooperation between the two countries on the political, regional and international levels.”

“Me as the Qatari envoy to Turkey will spare no effort to take these relations to more levels of rapprochement with a view to fostering the gains we’ve already achieved,” he added.

Turkey’s defense minister said Qatar will remain “a friend and brotherly country to Turkey.”

Referring to a meeting held earlier this month in Doha between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Akar said “mutual relations were further consolidated following the meeting, thanks to the 15 cooperation agreements signed between the two countries.”

“Turkey and Qatar have done many positive things so far. We will do more together, both for our countries and our armed forces -- not only for the interests of our two nations, but for the sake of our entire region and humanity,” he said.

Qatar’s National Day is a holiday celebrated on Dec. 18 every year, as on the same date in 1878, Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani succeeded his father as emir and led the country toward full unification.