- Türkiye has been vocal on the need for a rules based order,' says foreign minister
BRUSSELS
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot stressed Türkiye’s role in Europe’s security architecture and expressed willingness to deepen economic and strategic cooperation between the two countries.
"There is no possibility to discuss any European security architecture without Türkiye in it," Prevot told Anadolu.
Over the years, he said Türkiye has reduced the poverty rate and improved living standards, and it is now "more than ever" a strategic geopolitical actor.
Prevot pointed to the longstanding partnership between Belgium and Türkiye, recalling the first friendship treaty signed with the Ottoman Empire in 1838. He reaffirmed that Belgium was represented at the Sultan’s court in Istanbul long before many European countries.
Economic Mission
He further reiterated the significance of their Economic Mission to Türkiye, presided over by Belgian Queen Mathilde, which is set to take place between May 10-14.
Prevot described the mission as a good opportunity to reinforce a partnership on its business, academic and institutional dimensions.
An estimated 400 people will be coming to Türkiye with the mission, he said.
"We're really intent on enhancing the level of our trade cooperation. That's one of the first objectives," he added.
He reaffirmed that they will sign around 40 agreements on social security, transport, port management, logistics and aerospace and defense.
"Türkiye is the fifth largest export market for Belgium outside the European Union. So it means a lot," Prevot further said.
He stressed the need for more investments from Turkish companies in Belgium, as well as identifying opportunities, particularly in the biopharmaceutical sector.
"Talking about the defense sector, we know that in the last decade Türkiye has grown by 300%. So that's really important," Prevot said.
He further stressed the need to create new opportunities for the dredging sector, energy transition, offshore industry and digital assets.
"Strengthening business opportunities is really important, but also having some institutional resetting," Prevot added.
Prevot reaffirmed the significance of addressing various challenges, from the supply chain to the global security architecture of Europe with Türkiye.
Further when asked whether he considers Türkiye alongside Russia and China as a country to be contained or constrained for Europe, Prevot said it is "weird" to use Ankara in the same sentence with others within that context.
"Türkiye is a NATO ally. It's also a European candidate for the accession to the EU. So of course, Türkiye has not to be contained or constrained," he added.
Prevot underlined the need to modernize the Customs Union between Ankara and the EU.
"We need to modernize such a union, because we cannot address the common challenges, economic challenges of 2026 with a framework of three decades ago," he said.
'Rules based order'
Prevot stressed Türkiye’s role as a strategic partner within the security context, pointing to its mediation efforts for Ukraine and its stance on recent Middle East tensions in light of the US-Israeli war on Iran.
"You also consider in Türkiye that what is going on in Iran and in the surroundings, it's against international law.”
Türkiye has been vocal on the need to maintain a “rules based order,” he said.
He described it as a "like-minded country," considering the defense of multilateralism and respect for territorial integrity.
Prevot further pointed to Ankara's specific responsibility as a NATO ally. "You're the guardian of the southeastern flank of the alliance. So it's really important to have the global picture of all the strategic assets of Türkiye."
"I think that we have a lot to reinforce together," he said, "in order to build new bridges to really create the conditions of economic development for the next generations."
Belgium's influence within European institutions
Prevot underscored that there are a lot of opportunities for Belgian and Turkish investors.
"Belgium is a small country in size, but we have a lot of influence within the European institutions, because we are also one of the founding members.
"We really offer to Türkiye one of the biggest gateway to the European market. So that's something that's really important."
Gift from Anadolu
Prevot looked at Anadolu's The Evidence, a book which documents Israel’s war crimes in Gaza, including the use of white phosphorus.
The foreign minister, who received the book as a gift from Anadolu, said that the situation on the ground is absolutely unacceptable.
Prevot also recalled that his country supports South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
*Writing by Ilayda Cakirtekin from Istanbul
