Lebanon’s Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri was invited to Ankara through an official invitation delivered by Türkiye’s ambassador to Beirut, Murat Lutem.
According to a statement from Berri’s office, Lutem presented the invitation sent by the Speaker of Türkiye’s Grand National Assembly, Numan Kurtulmuş, for a visit to Türkiye.
The meeting addressed developments in Lebanon, particularly the situation on the ground in the country’s south. It took place as the regional security agenda remained active amid Israel’s ongoing attacks against Lebanon.
Following the meeting, Lutem described it as “highly productive.” The ambassador said Türkiye would continue to stand by Lebanon and that Ankara maintained close relations with all political leaders in the country.
Lutem said Türkiye’s support for Lebanon and the Lebanese people would continue, emphasizing the importance of the country’s security, stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Contacts in Türkiye-Lebanon relations
The meeting followed increased contacts in recent months between Türkiye and Lebanon. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun visited Ankara on July 30 and met with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Following the visit, Aoun said relations between the two countries had moved from “deep-rooted friendship to a strategic partnership.” Erdoğan also said strong and determined support for Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity would continue, as would support for the Lebanese armed forces.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also met with Erdoğan in Istanbul in July. The two sides agreed to revive the free trade agreement process and complete technical consultations.
Erdoğan also reiterated Türkiye’s support for Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanese territory. On August 31, Lutem said Ankara would continue supporting Lebanon and efforts to strengthen relations between the two countries, underscoring the importance attached to the country’s security, stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
