REMARKS IN TURKISH

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. It is so good to be back in my second home, Turkey, a country in which my wife and I are privileged to have lived for eight years, most recently when I served as British Ambassador for four fascinating years from 2014 through 2017.

But my connection with Turkey started much earlier in 1989 when, as a young language student, I arrived in Istanbul to board with a Turkish family for several weeks to improve my newly learnt Turkish language. I fell in love with this marvellous country, its extraordinarily hospitable people, its fabulous cuisine and stunning combination of history and breathtaking scenery… and I fell in love with Besiktas football club! The bond with Turkey was cemented by the arrival of my daughter, born here in Istanbul

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