Post

Foe turned Friend
_{Scott Morrison and Meral Akşener meet in Western Australia}
^{November 26th}

Australia and Turkey have had a complicated history, but Turkish President Meral Akşener and Australian President Scott Morrison are ready to turn over a new leaf. Relations took a hit after AKP Leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan threatened to send Australians making the pilgrimage to Gallipoli 'in their coffins like their grandfathers.' However, President Akşener has been looking to open up a new, better chapter in Australian relations for quite some time.

Morrison has also looked forward to bettering relations with the Middle Eastern* country, stating that 'Australia and Turkey have more in common than they think.' The inital meeting of Akşener and Morrison will take place at the National Anzac Centre in Albany, Western Australia, where 38 ships left for Gallipoli in 1914. 'Gallipoli was a defining moment for both nations. For Australia, we proved that we were so much more than a former British colony. For Turkey, it gave them Atatürk and eventually self-determination. However, it also saw thousands of deaths on both sides. The Turkish and the Australians both suffered as much as they benefited. Given our history, I think that [the NAC] is the perfect place to meet, to reconcile with our past, and to look to our future.'

Akşener will also address federal parliament in Albury some time next week before the end of the parliamentary year. She will become the first Middle Eastern* head of state to address Australian parliament.

Not a mention of Turkey

The Turkish-State