Permanent Representative of Türkiye to NATO
Ambassador Öztürk has been serving as Permanent Representative of Türkiye to NATO since November 2018. Before his current assignment, he was serving as the Deputy Undersecretary at the Turkish Ministry of National Defence (MoND) since October 2017. He was in charge of Plans and Policy as well as Budget and Financial Services of the MoND.
Prior to assuming that position, he was Director General (DG) for International Security Affairs (NATO, OSCE, Arms Control and Disarmament) at the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) between 2015-2016 and DG for Multilateral Political Affairs between 2013-2015.
He served as Turkish Ambassador to Kabul, Afghanistan, between 2009-2013.
He had previously assumed various functions at the MFA as Deputy DG for Maritime and Aviation Affairs from 2007 until 2009 and as Head of Maritime Department between 2004-2007.
During 2002- 2004 he was the Turkish Consul General in Alexandria, Egypt.
Before that assignment, he had served at Department for Euro-Atlantic Security and Defense Affairs from 2000 until 2002, and as Defence Counsellor of Turkish Permanent Delegation to NATO between 1996-2000. He also attended the NATO Defense College in 1996.
Ambassador Öztürk had also served in a number of other posts since joining the MFA in 1985, including as Vice-Consul in Chicago, Illinois, USA from 1991 to 1994; Third Secretary at the
Turkish Embassy in Teheran, Iran between 1989-1991; Attaché and Third Secretary at the NATO Department of the MFA from 1985 until 1989.
Ambassador Öztürk was born in Elazığ, Türkiye on December 7, 1963. He graduated from the Faculty of Political Science at Ankara University in 1985.
He is married with two daughters.