Skopje, 20 February 2023 (MIA) - As part of his visit to Turkey, Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairman-in-Office Bujar Osmani met Monday with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu.

Osmani expressed OSCE's support and even greater engagement for Turkey in overcoming the catastrophic consequences that the country is facing after the devastating earthquake. 

Osmani alongside OSCE Secretary General Helga Schmid is paying a visit to Turkey after it was hit by a series of devastating earthquakes in which tens of thousands were killed and hundreds of thousands were injured, the Foreign Ministry said in a press release. 

"My visit to Turkey comes at a time of great sadness. This disaster has caused unimaginable suffering and pain for thousands of families and communities across the country. We hope the injured recover soon and our thoughts and prayers are with you. Once again, on behalf of the OSCE, I express my condolences to the families of the victims who lost their lives in this tragedy," said Osmani. 

In his address, Osmani highlighted the resilience and courage of the Turkish people, pointing out that the whole world is united in solidarity. He stressed the importance of collective responsibility in continuous assistance and support to those affected by the tragedy. 

"I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all OSCE participating countries for their support to Turkey in these difficult times. Also I want to honor and praise every single citizen on this planet who has made any contribution, no matter how small, to humanitarian efforts," Osmani said. 

As OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Osmani sent a message stressing the importance of thinking and working for the future, and noting that it will require collective action in the coming years. He added that the OSCE will continue to work with all participating countries to provide assistance, announcing even greater engagement by the Organization and support from OSCE funds.

"Turkey has expressed concern about the absence of concrete mechanisms by the OSCE when it comes to disaster response. I would like to assure you that we take these concerns seriously and are working to resolve them. It is our collective responsibility to continuously provide aid to the affected communities across the country. We need even greater engagement from the entire international community, including the OSCE. My presence here today, as OSCE Chairman-in-Office, together with Secretary General Helga Schmid, is proof of our determination in this regard," Osmani pointed out.

In addition, Osmani expressed gratitude to the citizens of North Macedonia who organized numerous humanitarian events in support of the Turkish people.

"The close relationship between North Macedonia and Turkey is one that has been built on a strong foundation of trust and mutual respect. And this has been proven also by the people in my country who have shown great solidarity to immediately provide help," said Osmani. 

He added that the support will continue in the days and weeks ahead until the people of Turkey fully recover from the tragedy, the press release reads.