On 29 August 2024, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Latvia, Bahtijors Hasans, submitted his letters of credence to the President of the Republic of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Türkiye is an important ally to Latvia in NATO and a partner in active and multilateral bilateral cooperation.
During the conversation, the Turkish President and the Latvian Ambassador welcomed the work accomplished so far in cooperation between Latvia and Türkiye. They exchanged views on the close bilateral relations between the two countries and mapped out the lines of further cooperation to be developed, including promotion of mutual trade, support for student exchange programmes, and closer cooperation in the defence sector.
Ambassador Bahtijors Hasans thanked the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for being given a warm reception in Türkiye and expressed his desire to further promote the Latvia-Türkiye relations, especially in light of the centenary of diplomatic relations between Latvia and Türkiye to be marked next January.
Background information
Bahtijors Hasans joined the Foreign Service of the restored Latvia in 1993. During his career as a diplomat at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he worked in the Department of the Union of Independent States, the Division of Asian and African Countries, to later become its head. He has gained significant experience of working with European Union issues. Bahtijors Hasans was Counsellor, Head of the EU Law Division of the EU Coordination Department, followed by Head of the Legal Coordination Division. From 2017 to 2020, Bahtijors Hasans headed the Consular and Diplomatic Security Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Bahtijors Hasans has gained broad experience as a diplomat during his postings to Latvian diplomatic and consular missions abroad. He worked at the Embassy in the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Kingdom of Sweden, and the Republic of Finland. He has served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Latvia to the Republic of Slovenia and non-resident Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Latvia to the Republic of Kosovo, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Latvia to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, as well as to the Preparatory Commission of the General Organization for the Prohibition of Nuclear Tests and the International Atomic Energy Agency, where he was Deputy Chairman of the Board. Bahtijors Hasans has also served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Latvia to the UN, OSCE and other international organizations in Vienna. Since 2020, he has been Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Latvia to the UN, Geneva, and from 2021 – Permanent Representative of Latvia to the World Trade Organization. In 2022, he was unanimously elected Chairman of the Board of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
Bahtijors Hasans has obtained translator’s qualifications in the specialty of Latvian language and literature, as well as a Master’s degree in Law from the University of Latvia.
