New honorary consuls appointed for Wales and Northern Ireland, bringing Turkish representative to all four home nations
The new Turkish consul-general for London, Emirhan Yorulmazlar (left), made his first public appearance at the event
TURKEY appointed honorary consuls to Wales and Northern Ireland for the first time in a ceremony held at its London ambassador’s residence.
Turkish ambassador Ünal Çeviköz presented Robert David Stewart Campbell and Charles Robert Vincent Norris, the appointments for Belfast and Cardiff respectively, with their credentials and a coat of arms last week.
“This is a tremendous personal honour,” Mr Campbell said.
“I have long considered Turkey to be a friend and in the past have done business in Turkey.
Turkish ambassador Ünal Çeviköz with Robert David Stewart Campbell, the new honorary consul for Northern Ireland
“This is also an honour for Northern Ireland. We have a growing Turkish population in Northern Ireland and this will be viewed positively. Many of them work in the service and manufacturing sector.”
“I am very honoured to have been appointed to this position,” Mr Norris told the guests.
“I have only been to Turkey three times so far, but I am looking forward to representing Welsh interests in Turkey and Turkish interests in Wales.”
Mr Çeviköz had announced the new honorary consuls in his New Year message.
The move means that all four UK “home nations” – England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – would have some form of Turkish diplomatic representation for the first time.
Mr Çeviköz with Wales’s honorary Turkish consul, Charles Robert Vincent Norris
NEW CONSUL-GENERAL
The meeting was also the first public appearance of Emirhan Yorulmazlar, Turkey’s new consul-general in London, who started his role on 10 February.
“My objective is to develop relations between Britain and Turkey,” he told the gathered guests in his remarks.
Mr Yorulmazlar announced the consulate under his direction would embrace digital technology.
“In the new era, we will become a more transparent consulate. We will maximise our use of social media.”
The new consul called on Turkish nationals living in Britain to trust them and avail themselves of the facilities provided.
HIGH TURNOUT
The ambassador’s event was attended by directors of non-governmental organisations, diplomats and a number of politicians. Also present was Sadi Arslan, the new attaché for religious services in Turkey, and Nilüfer Kol, deputy director of the Yunus Emre Cultural Centre.
Other attendees included Oya Tuncalı, the Turkish Cypriot representative in London, consul Mustafa Beyazbayram and Emma Edhem, head of the Turkish British Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
