Today’s (Wednesday) Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s meeting with his British counterpart in London is considered important for Ankara.

Highlights of the visit’s agenda are the sale of Eurofighter fighter jets to Turkey as part of defense industry cooperation and the start of negotiations on the new free trade agreement to be extended between the two countries, Turkish press reports.

Fidan and British Foreign Minister David Lammy were expected to discuss the current situation in the war in Ukraine and the latest developments in the Middle East, reports SKAI’s correspondent in Constantinople Manolis Kostidis.

The two countries, which have been in a “strategic partnership” since 2007, have since the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union in 2016 (Brexit) entered into a much closer process of relations and cooperation.

Will there be progress on the Eurofighter sale?

Following the lifting of the British government’s arms trade restrictions on Turkey in 2022, last year the defense ministries of Turkey and Britain signed the “Declaration of Intent on Defense Cooperation”, and identified specific areas of cooperation, Turkish media noted.

Among these areas of cooperation were announced to be the new generation KAAN fighter jet being developed by Turkey, and the supply of Eurofighter fighter jets. Among Turkey’s options for the KAAN fighter jet engines it is trying to develop with its own resources is joint production with Rolls-Royce.

The first agreement signed with the British company in 2017 was ineffective.

Among the assessments being made is that warmer relations between the two countries may pave the way for new steps to be taken on this matter.

Another more immediate and tangible issue in the defense industry is the procurement of Eurofighter fighter jets.

Fidan in his contacts in London is expected to discuss the next stages of the process after the “green light” given by Berlin.

After political approval, the Defense Industry Presidency and the consortium are expected to design the technical aspects of the process.

Cypriot

“At the meeting of the two ministers, the Cyprus issue can also be put on the agenda. Britain, together with Turkey and Greece, is a guarantor country in the Cyprus problem and has two dominant bases on the island,” the Turkish press emphasized.

“UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has recently increased his activities to start a new process to resolve the Cyprus issue. Guterres, who brought Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulidis and Northern Cyprus leader Ersin Tatar together at an informal dinner in New York on October 15, wants a more inclusive meeting as the next step.

The Turkish Foreign Minister met yesterday in Ankara with the “President” of the “TRBK” Ersin Tatar. In a post on the Turkish Ministry’s X account, it is said that Fidan and Tatar met in Ankara and a photo of the two was shared. During the meeting, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, the “sovereignty” of the “TRNC” on the island, the natural gas projects in the Eastern Mediterranean, the continental shelf, the increase in the “recognition” of the “TRNC” in international fora were discussed. relations with countries and bilateral relations. In addition, Israel’s plans to settle on the island through the “South Cyprus Administration” were discussed.