Altun said: “Turkey is battling the coronavirus in an effective and aggressive manner. We have taken precautions early on and prepared for various scenarios. Our healthcare system has proven much more resilient than many countries when faced with historic pandemic conditions.”

Underlining that as Turkey addresses health challenges, it also pays close attention to the economic impact of the coronavirus and the foreign policy capabilities to increase international coordination, Altun added: “Managing the health crisis must go hand in hand with strict safety measures and economic support.”

Altun stated that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been working very hard to coordinate not only their national response but to increase efforts to forge a global response.

 Altun concluded as follows: ‘‘International solidarity is a sine qua non in the face of a deadly virus that has left no part of the world untouched. We must not allow this virus to push countries to erect new borders that would impede global cooperation. We must not allow it to turn nations into isolated societies. We will continue to call for international solidarity and global cooperation in various venues and forums.’’ (ILKHA)