Turkey - NewZealand Joint Declaration

23 April 2015

The PrimeMinister of the Republic of Turkey, HE Prof Dr Ahmet Davutoğlu, and the PrimeMinister of New Zealand, Rt Hon John Key, met in Istanbul on 23 April 2015, in the lead-up to the centennial commemorations of the Gallipoli Campaign/Çanakkale Battles.

2 The two Prime Ministers acknowledged Turkey and NewZealand’s shared experiences and tragic losses during the Çanakkale Battles in 1915. They both recognised that these experiences had in many ways shaped the nations that Turkey and New Zealand had become, and continued to form the basis of the special relationship that exists between the two countries. Prime Minister Davutoğlu warmly welcomed Prime Minister Key and all New Zealanders to Turkey for the centennial commemoratıon of the Çanakkale Battles.

3 Prime Minister Key reiterated NewZealand’s appreciation for the generous way in which, every year, Turkey hosts NewZealanders who visit the Gallipoli Peninsula to remember their fallen, including during the annual Anzac Day commemorations. Both Leaders acknowledged that the centenary of the Çanakkale Battles was an especially significant occasion for Turkey, NewZealand, Australia and the many other countries that lost soldiers there.

4 PrimeMinister Key thanked Turkey for its assistance in helping NewZealand and Australia prepare for the centennial Anzac Day commemorations, and for agreeing to allow New Zealand to hold a further commemorative service on 8 August 2015 to mark the centenary of the historic Battle of Chunuk Bair.

5 PrimeMinister Davutoğlu noted that Turkey looked forward to having a presence in the Pukeahu National War Memorial Park, in addition to the Atatürk Memorial in Wellington. PrimeMinister Key expressed New Zealand’s appreciation to Turkey for agreeing to the refurbishment of the New Zealand Monument at Chunuk Bair.

6 While Gallipoli would always be the foundation of the Turkey-New Zealand relationship, both Prime Ministers agreed on the importance of relationship that honoured the past but that also looked to the future.

7 Both Leaders acknowledged that enhanced political, trade, cultural and people-to-people linkages would be important in this regard.

8 The Prime Ministers shared the view that the two countries are natural partners both internationally and within their respective regions. They reaffirmed their shared interest and commitment to global peace and prosperity, including in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East. They undertook to continue to collaborate closely, including during NewZealand’s tenure on the UN Security Council, through on-going high-level and working-level exchanges, and their annual Foreign Ministry Consultations.

9 The Prime Ministers agreed that Turkey and New Zealand should look to enhance their defence linkages. The two leaders directed officials to continue to look at opportunities to engage further with one another in the defence area.

10 Both Prime Ministers agreed to continue to explore ways by which to expand and deepen trade and economic linkages between the two countries.

11 PrimeMinister Davutoğlu welcomed the opening in 2014 of a New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Office in Istanbul. Both Leaders recognised that, although trade between the two countries was at an all-time high, the current level of bilateral trade remained beneath both countries’ ambitions.

12 The two Prime Ministers noted the importance of strengthening education linkages between our two countries. They committed to conclude an enhanced education arrangement between our two countries.

13 PrimeMinister Key announced that New Zealand was establishing a PhD-level “Didem Yaman Memorial Scholarship”. Ms Yaman, a former student of the Çanakkale 18 March University and first Turkish PhD student to study international relations in NewZealand, passed away tragically during the Christchurch Earthquake in 2011.

14 Recalling the devastating earthquakes in Canterbury in 2011 and Van in 2011, and both countries’ on-going exposure to further such tragedies, the two Prime Ministers noted the recent meeting in Sendai, Japan between Deputy PrimeMinister HE Numan Kurtulmus and Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister and Minister Responsible for the Earthquake Commission Hon Gerry Brownlee, and welcomed efforts underway to conclude a bilateral arrangement on enhancing emergency management relations. It was agreed that both sides stood to benefit from working together to strengthen disaster resilience and reduce disaster risk, and to enhance their respective response and recovery capabilities.

15 PrimeMinister Key recalled that Turkey and New Zealand had earlier agreed a Working Holiday Scheme, enabling 100 young New Zealand and Turkish citizens each year to undertake temporary employment and study in the other country

16 The two Prime Ministers also emphasised the importance of enhancing cultural linkages. In this regard, the ongoing engagement between the New Zealand and Turkish National Libraries aimed at preserving and sharing the culture and history of the two countries was welcomed.

17 PrimeMinister Key also welcomed the ability to share New Zealand’s 1915 Gallipoli experiences with Turkey through the publication of a Turkish edition of the seminal book Voices of Gallipoli, and the Ngā Tapuwae NewZealand First World War Gallipoli Trail.

18 PrimeMinister Key appreciated the hospitality shown by PrimeMinister Davutoğlu and the people of Turkey, and invited PrimeMinister Davutoğlu to visit New Zealand in turn. PrimeMinister Davutoğlu expressed a desire to take up this invitation at a time of mutual convenience.

HE Prof Dr Ahmet Davutoğlu Rt Hon John Key

Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey Prime Minister of New Zealand