UPDATE - Turkish president vows choice of new NATO chief to be made 'within framework of strategic wisdom'

UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS BY DUTCH PRIME MINISTER MARK RUTTE

By Esra Tekin and Gozde Bayar

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday said the choice of new NATO chief “will be made within the framework of the strategic wisdom and fairness.”

“Nobody should have any doubt that we will make our decision within the framework of strategic wisdom and fairness," Erdogan said at a joint news conference with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte at Vahdettin Palace in Istanbul.

Rutte recently announced his bid to become the next NATO secretary-general.

Erdogan said that the trade volume between the two countries reached $13.9 billion last year and that Ankara hopes to initially increase it to $16 billion and then to $21.4 billion.

“With $6.4B in investments, Turkish entrepreneurs provide employment for some 80,000 people in the Netherlands,” Erdogan added.

For his part, Rutte said the relations between Türkiye and the Netherlands date back many years and that several issues, including Gaza and Ukraine, were discussed during his meeting with Erdogan.

Türkiye is playing an important role in trying to end the Gaza war, he said, adding that Türkiye is also making efforts to resolve the war in Ukraine.

He also underlined the importance of Türkiye’s geopolitical stance and influence in the region.

Noting that Türkiye is a “crucial ally,” Rutte said NATO's southern wing needs Türkiye and its leadership in terms of stability of the entire region and general transatlantic relations.

After the US, Türkiye represents the second largest military power in NATO, he said.