Ankara Sister Cities Summit Held

ANKARA DECLARATION PUBLISHED
ANKARA - Ankara Sister Cities Summit was held by Ankara Municipality on Saturday and ''Ankara Declaration'' was published after the meeting.
The issue of developing friendly relations among cities by making cooperation in economic, social, cultural, artistic and sports fields was discussed in the summit held under the leadership of Ankara Mayor Melih Gokcek.
Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzkkov expressed his pleasure over the meeting. ''Ankara is one of the closest friends of Moscow. The friendly relations between the two cities continue for 40 years. Since 2000, we organize various joint activities. It is not possible for us to forget the activity of Ankara Days held in Moscow in May 2003.''
Noting that the relations between the two countries developed recently, Luzhkov said that the studies which Turkish construction firms carried out in Moscow guided their own businessmen. ''Coming together with the mayors of sister cities of Ankara and exchanging cultural views with them is very important for us,'' he added.
Kabul deputy mayor Muhammed Zaher Razai explained the situation in Kabul after the war in Afghanistan ended. Noting that Afghanistan came out of a 23-year war, Razai said that many public buildings collapsed and the infrastructure of the city was damaged. ''We expect the aid of international organizations to Kabul where more than 3 million people live,'' he said.
After the speeches, Ankara Declaration prepared among mayors of 17 sister cities of Ankara was published. Ankara Declaration stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation among cities for peace, stability and prosperity in the world. Later Ankara municipality signed sister city protocols with Kabul and Ulan Bator municipalities.
(Öª) 15.06.2003