ANKARA - President Ahmet Necdet Sezer on Monday welcomed New Zealand's Governor General Silvia Cartwright in Cankaya Palace with an official ceremony.
Speaking at the ceremony, Sezer expressed pleasure over seeing Cartwright, her husband and an accompanying delegation in Turkey.
Pointing out that there were rooted relations between Turkey and New Zealand, Sezer said, ''clashes in Canakkale during World War I constitute historical dimension of relations between our countries.''
Sezer nations of Turkey and New Zealand were proud of the joint direction of their history, stating that people of Turkey and New Zealand, who set up friendly relations after a difficult war, gave an important and meaningful message to the international community with this.
Sezer said Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the Founder of Modern Turkish Republic, turned the memory of Canakkale War into a friendship tie between the peoples of two countries.
Sezer said New Zealand's Governor General Silvia Cartwright participated in ceremonies in April 24-25 held to commemorate Canakkale Wars. Sezer said this was the indication that concession of Turkish and Anzac soldiers were not forgotten.
Sezer said, ''Turkey and New Zealand were the two countries which are elements of stability, peace and prosperity in their regions and which share joint values. Political relations between our countries reached a pleasing level.''
Sezer said relations between the businessmen of the two countries should be intensified to further strengthen cooperation between the two countries in fields of economy and trade.
Stating that Turkey, which cover a multinational and influential foreign policy opened to new geographies as a requirement of concept of globalization, and searched for ways of cooperation, Sezer said Turkey attributed special importance to improve relations with New Zealand in this respect. Sezer also expressed belief that visit of the Governor General to Turkey would accelerate bilateral relations.
Cartwright in her part said a unique tie between the two countries, although they are located in separate places of the world, was set up 88 years ago. Cartwright said she had participated in commemoration ceremonies in Gelibolu last week, stating that she realized while watching the ceremonies that there were emotional ties between the peoples of the two countries.
Stressing their determination to further improve relations with Turkey, Cartwright said trade volume between the two countries may be increased to the level which it had been in 1990's.
Sezer and Cartwright held a tete-a-tete meeting following the ceremony. The meeting was closed to the press.
(AY-AÖ) 28.04.2003