In Ankara, ambassador of Qatar to Turkey Salim bin Mubarak al-Shafi held a reception on the National Day of Qatar. The event saw large participation with around 2,000 people attending.
The ceremony was attended by Speaker of the Grand National Assembly Mustafa Sentop, Minister of the Interior Suleyman Soylu, Minister of National Defence Hulusi Akar, as well as a number of senior officials, heads of diplomatic missions and international organisations accredited by Turkey.
There were also a host of media personalities and academics. The ambassador said in a speech that thanks to the wise and pioneering leadership of the founder of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Jassim bin Mohamed bin Thani the country was united and took serious steps towards modernity.
He stressed that relations between Qatar and Turkey during the past few years have become an international model to be followed at various levels. He also noted that relations between the two countries are based on a solid foundation of noble values, principles and the eternal triumph of humanity vis-a-vis regional and international political issues. The ambassador expressed hope that relations can be developed even further under the wise leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
For his part, Speaker Sentop said the strength of bilateral ties has already been tested on several occasions and every time came out with flying colours. He stressed that the strong ties were a result of the commitment of the two countries' leadership.
