Hanoi (VNA) – Turkish Ambassador to Vietnam Korhan Kemik has affirmed Türkiye’s readiness to deepen cooperation with Vietnam in the period ahead by working together to lay the groundwork for advancing peace and sustainable development, for the benefit of both nations.
The diplomat made the affirmation in an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man’s trip to Türkiye attend the 152nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU-152) and engage in bilateral activities.
The following is the full text of the interview.
Reporter: How has Türkiye prepared for hosting the 152nd IPU Assembly in İstanbul? Given the current global geopolitical landscape, what are your expectations for the major messages and key decisions to be adopted at this Assembly?
Ambassador Vietnam Korhan Kemik: The Inter-Parliamentary Union stands at the very heart of parliamentary diplomacy. It provides a common ground for dialogue among parliamentarians from different regions of the world, diverse political systems, and ideological backgrounds.
Türkiye attaches great importance to the 152nd IPU Assembly, which will take place between April 15–19, 2026 in İstanbul. This will, in fact, be the fourth time Türkiye has hosted an IPU General Assembly, following the editions held in 1934, 1951, and 1996. The Grand National Assembly of Türkiye has undertaken comprehensive preparations for this major event and every effort has been made to ensure its success.
The 152nd Assembly will be a significant gathering in terms of participation, with more than 2,300 delegates from different countries expected to attend. Over 90 Speakers and Deputy Speakers are also anticipated to be present in İstanbul on this occasion.
The choice of İstanbul as the host city is equally meaningful. İstanbul stands at the crossroads of continents, cultures, and ideas, and in that sense, it perfectly embodies the Assembly’s emphasis on dialogue, coexistence, and mutual understanding.
These values are more essential than ever in light of the pressing realities of our time. We are living through a period marked by increasing volatility, unpredictability, and conflicts that threaten peace and stability in our immediate vicinity. This environment heightens the risk of miscalculations, deepens global mistrust, and makes crisis management considerably more complex. Against this backdrop, addressing global challenges depends on collective efforts built on cooperation and effective multilateralism.
The overarching theme of the IPU Assembly, “Nurturing hope, securing peace and ensuring justice for future generations,” reflects this urgent need and calls for concrete parliamentary action. In this context, the General Debate is expected to serve as a platform for the exchange of views and the mobilization of parliamentary efforts, with the Assembly set to adopt resolutions on key issues.
Reporter: National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man will head the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation at the event. How do you evaluate Vietnam’s participation and contributions to multilateral parliamentary forums like the IPU in recent years, in promoting peace and sustainable development?
Ambassador Vietnam Korhan Kemik: Vietnam, like Türkiye, is a firm believer in multilateralism, and in recent years, we have seen this commitment has translated into a noticeably stronger presence on the international stage. Hosting the signing ceremony of the UN Cybercrime Convention last year, and its participation in the Board of Peace, are two recent examples of Vietnam’s growing and impactful global engagement.
This active stance is equally evident in the realm of multilateral parliamentary diplomacy, clearly reflecting Vietnam’s positive and constructive role in promoting both peace and sustainable development.
For our part, we stand ready to deepen our cooperation with Vietnam in the period ahead by working together to lay the groundwork for advancing peace and sustainable development, for the benefit of both our nations.
Reporter: The working visit by the Vietnamese National Assembly leadership is not only a multilateral activity but also an opportunity to strengthen bilateral ties. In your opinion, what are the priority areas that both countries should focus on to enhance cooperation between the two legislative bodies and the general Vietnam-Türkiye friendship, making it more effective, substantive and profound?
Ambassador Vietnam Korhan Kemik: The visit of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and accompanying high-level Vietnamese delegation will also provide a valuable opportunity to further strengthen our bilateral ties.
Vietnam is an important partner of Türkiye in the Southeast Asia. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1978, both countries have cultivated a fruitful cooperation based on friendship, solidarity and mutual respect.
Interparliamentary relations constitute a vital pillar of our partnership—one that has gained significant momentum in recent times. The visit of the Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly, Nguyen Duc Hai, to Türkiye last September was a particularly significant milestone. His meetings with Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz and Deputy Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, Celal Adan, made a meaningful contribution to advancing our legislative ties. Encouraging further contacts and exchanges between our existing Interparliamentary Friendship Groups will undoubtedly deepen this cooperation—and the 152nd IPU Assembly in İstanbul provides an excellent platform to build on that momentum.
This strong parliamentary engagement is matched by robust economic ties. Vietnam is already Türkiye’s second-largest trade partner in Southeast Asia, and Türkiye is Vietnam’s largest investment partner from our region—a testament to the depth and maturity of our economic relationship.
Both countries have considerable room to expand cooperation across a wide range of strategic areas: tourism, agriculture, the halal industry, renewable energy, rare earth minerals, infrastructure and logistics, as well as science, technology, and digitalisation. These are sectors where our complementary strengths can yield long-term and tangible mutual benefits.
Ultimately, the strength of our ties relies on human connection, We have been taking concrete steps to bring our people closer together. The liberalisation of visa procedures for Vietnamese citizens and the increase in weekly flights of Turkish Airlines between İstanbul and both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are opening new avenues for people-to-people exchanges and fostering deeper human connections between our countries.
We look forward to working closely with our Vietnamese partners in the coming period to further strengthen and deepen our cooperation.
Reporter: Thank you for your interview./.
