Ankara -- An Assyrian delegation from Sweden, headed by Assyrian Member of Swedish Parliament Yusuf Aydin, conducted a series of official meetings in the Turkish capital on 24 February to follow up on issues related to the rights of the Assyrian people, particularly property rights and the preservation of cultural heritage.

The delegation included coordinator and spokesperson lawyer Ilhan Aydin, along with representatives of the two Assyrian Orthodox dioceses in Sweden, Zeki Besso and Suleiman Kurt. The visit formed part of ongoing efforts to address longstanding legal and administrative challenges facing the Assyrian community in Turkey.

The delegation conducted its first official visit to Ankara in December 2024, during which it submitted a comprehensive file containing 22 demands, focusing especially on issues related to Tur Abdin. At that time, members met with the Speaker of the Turkish Parliament, the Vice President of the Republic, the Deputy Chairman of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), and five cabinet ministers.

Following those meetings, a broad and systematic study was initiated to examine property problems affecting Assyrian citizens in Turkey. A detailed 132-page report was prepared and officially submitted during the second visit on 24 February to the relevant authorities.

During a meeting with Minister of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change Murat Kurum, the two sides discussed Assyrian property issues from technical and legal perspectives. The report prepared after earlier consultations was presented to the ministry, which approved the formation of a review and evaluation committee to examine the file in a comprehensive and systematic manner.

The delegation also met with Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Minister of Culture and Tourism. Discussions addressed the classification of Assyrian villages as archaeological sites, the preservation of historic churches and monasteries, urban planning regulations, and the safeguarding of Assyrian cultural heritage, in addition to matters related to UNESCO. It was agreed to establish a specialized committee to conduct field visits and prepare a report for submission to the ministry.

In a related context, the delegation met with Zafer Sirakaya, AKP Deputy Chairman for Foreign Affairs and Istanbul MP, who played a key role in coordinating meetings with the relevant ministers and conveying the delegation's demands to the concerned authorities. The meetings were also attended by the Chairman of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce Ercan Özboyaci, who is of Assyrian origin, as well as Mayor of Medyad (Midyat) Veysi Sahin.

The delegation also met with Chargé d'Affaires Louise Morsing and members of the diplomatic mission at the Swedish Embassy in Ankara., including Administrative Affairs Officer Sidal Gönç. An expanded meeting at the embassy residence included detailed briefings on the delegation's work and discussions on the Assyrian community's role in strengthening relations between Turkey and Sweden.

The delegation affirmed that the 24 February meetings were conducted in a constructive and institutional atmosphere, noting that demands related to property rights, cultural heritage, and the legal status of Assyrian citizens received attention from official bodies. It described the formation of ministerial committees to follow up on Assyrian affairs as an unprecedented step and stressed its commitment to continuing the institutional process and working toward tangible progress on these issues.