Turkish Ambassador cites Georgia as “true friend” following aid in disaster relief

Turkish Ambassador to Georgia Ali Kaan Orbai on Friday reiterated his gratitude to the Georgian Government and citizens for their assistance in the aftermath of Monday’s devastating quake, citing Georgia as a “true friend” of his country.

• Georgia “one of the first” offering aid to Turkey after quake - Ambassador

The diplomat thanked the Government for its recent decision to allocate ₾1 million ($374,000) from its reserve fund to delivering medicine, food, clothes, medical equipment and other necessities for survivors of the 7.8 magnitude quake, and to send professionals to ensure aid in search and rescue operations in the worst-affected south-eastern city of Adiyaman. 

Orbai said Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili had personally briefed him about the Government's aid plans, before making symbolic notes to the book of condolences opened in the Turkish Embassy in Tbilisi following the disaster. 

The Turkish Ambassador said five trucks loaded with humanitarian cargo were set to leave for Turkey later today. Photo: 1TV. 

The Ambassador noted along with the official assistance coming from the Georgian authorities, the Turkish business community in Georgia had also collected humanitarian items, with five trucks loaded with necessities for the survivors set to leave for Turkey later today. 

“This move shows the generosity of our Georgian brothers and sisters, the Turkish community here in the country”, he said, adding the cargo would arrive at distribution centres in Turkey before being sent to the country’s worst-affected provinces. 

The death toll from the Turkey-Syria earthquakes passed 22,000 early on Friday, with at least 18,991 killed in Turkey and 3,377 in Syria.