ISTANBUL - Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc returned on Saturday from Japan, where he paid a visit as the guest of Japanese Upper Chamber Chairman Hiroyuki Kurata, to Turkey.
Arinc said that publication or broadcasting of some ''inaccurate and meaningless'' by some press organs regarding his visit to Japan, which was in fact very successful, was very saddening.
''Such news is not sufficient to overshadow such successful trips,'' Arinc noted.
Arinc said that his visit that was paid in 2003, which aimed to promote Turkey in Japan, was very fruitful.
The Japanese side had extraordinary interest and closeness to the parliamentary delegation, Arinc stated.
Arinc noted that all his interlocutors expressed condolence over the earthquake which rocked eastern Bingol province during his contacts.
Transfer of Japanese experience to Turkey regarding Bingol earthquake was proposed during his contacts, Arinc pointed out.
Arinc said that both sides emphasized that strategic location of Turkey in the Middle East and strategic location of Japan in the Far East were of utmost importance for the stability and security of those two regions.
They reached consensus that the two countries could have close cooperation in reconstruction of Iraq, Arinc noted.
Arinc stated that they took up improvement of commercial relations and added, ''our visit has further improved friendship between our parliaments and had significant contributions to development of relations in every field.''
(BRC-AY) 08.06.2003