''IMPROVEMENT OF COOPERATION WITH UKRAINE IS IMPORTANT FOR STABILITY, COOPERATION AND PROSPERITY OF OUR REGION''
ANKARA - President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said on Wednesday that the improvement of bilateral and regional cooperation with Ukraine carried importance for stability, cooperation and prosperity of the region.
Speaking at Esenboga Airport before his departure for Ukraine, Sezer said that his visit was a return visit to the official visit of Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma to Turkey in November 2000.
Sezer said that they would review the relations between the two countries during his contacts with Ukrainian President Kuchma and that they would evaluate bilateral and multilateral cooperation opportunities.
''Ukraine is a big country which contributes to stability and security in our region and in Europe. We want to improve our relations with Ukraine in all fields, we want to increase our bilateral trade which is over 1 billion dollars on a balanced way. Improvement of tourism relations between our countries brings our nations closer to each other and brings a new dimension to our cooperation. We'll assess regional and international developments with Mr. Kuchma and other Ukrainian officials,'' President Sezer said.
Sezer said after Kiev, he would proceed to Crimean Autonomous Republic, visit Crimean Tatars there and he was very pleased for that.
''I believe that my visit to Ukraine with which we formed a close and model cooperation in a short time will contribute to further improvement of our friendly and cooperation relations,'' he added.
(Öª-AÖ) 18.06.2003