Jakarta (ANTARA) - Turkish Ambassador to Indonesia Talip Kucukcan said Turkey shares the grief of the Indonesian people following the devastating floods and landslides that struck Sumatra in late November.

"We feel the pain of the Indonesian people," Kucukcan told ANTARA in an interview in Jakarta on Monday.

He said Turkey was deeply saddened by the disaster, which killed nearly 1,000 people and left hundreds missing and thousands injured.

Kucukcan said he had contacted the Turkish government from the outset to mobilize resources and deliver assistance to affected communities.

He noted that Turkey and Indonesia had previously signed a memorandum of understanding on disaster management during a presidential visit, forming the basis for cooperation in emergency response.

The ambassador stressed the importance of such collaboration, saying natural disasters can strike at any time and affect any country.

"This is something we need to take seriously because we never know when a disaster like this will strike. And of course, we want to thank the Indonesian people for being with us when the earthquake struck (in Turkey)," he said.

Kucukcan said disaster agencies in both countries are communicating to coordinate responses to ongoing crises.

He added that disaster cooperation should extend beyond bilateral engagement, as major natural disasters require broader global collaboration.

"I think cooperation is not only between two countries. But at the moment, we are engaged with each other in terms of training, in terms of providing help, in terms of creating new mechanisms of cooperation between Turkey and Indonesia," he said.

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Translator: Katriana
Editor: Anton Santoso
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