Türkiye and Italy are commemorating the 150th anniversary of their bilateral relations this year, with a formal reception held Wednesday evening at the Italian Ambassador's residence in Ankara. Italian Ambassador Carlo Marsili hosted the event, which drew senior officials from both countries.
A message from Italian Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini praised the longstanding partnership between the two nations and reaffirmed Rome's support for Türkiye's bid to join the European Union. Fini also described Türkiye as a model for balancing Islam and secularism, and highlighted its role in promoting intercultural dialogue.
Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ali Tuygan noted that both countries occupy strategic positions in Europe and the Mediterranean and have stood together within NATO in defense of freedom and democracy. He expressed Türkiye's willingness to cooperate with Italy across all sectors.
Ambassador Marsili was direct in his assessment, saying a genuine EU cannot exist without Türkiye as a member. To mark the anniversary, concerts, exhibitions, and conferences are planned throughout the year in both countries.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in March 2006, in its own words.