SOFIA - Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu announced on Monday that they asked Bulgaria to include terrorist organization KADEK in the international list of terrorist networks.
Aksu, who wrapped up contacts in Bulgaria where he paid a three-day visit as the guest of Bulgarian Interior Minister Georgi Petkanov, told A.A correspondent that Turkey was ready to sign an agreement on extradition of criminals with Bulgaria.
Interior Minister Aksu said that his visit to Bulgaria was ''very fruitful'' and that he and his Bulgarian counterpart were in full consensus of opinion on all the issues taken up during his visit.
Aksu noted that the terrorist organization PKK/KADEK also came onto the agenda during his contacts and said, ''we told Petkanov that PKK has changed its name as KADEK and this was the new name of the terrorist organization. And, we asked him to include KADEK in international list of terrorist networks. They said that they would evaluate the issue and give a response as soon as possible.''
Human smuggling had become a crime which had priority in recent years, Aksu stated.
Aksu said that Turkey was sensitive about that issue and would continue international cooperation in fight against human smuggling till the very end.
International cooperation was of utmost importance to prevent cross-border crimes, Aksu noted.
Aksu pointed out that agreement on extradition of criminals was important for not only fight against terrorism but also for countering human smuggling.
Turkey had signed such agreements with Syria and Greece, Aksu said.
Noting that efforts were under way to sign such an agreement with Bulgaria, Aksu said, ''we are ready to sign agreement on extradition of criminals with Bulgaria.''
Petkanov said that Aksu's visit was one of important steps taken to further improve bilateral relations.
Every kind of cooperation between Turkey and Bulgaria would constitute an example for other countries, Petkanov noted.
Petkanov emphasized that human smuggling was a problem that should not be underestimated and said that they were in a serious cooperation with Turkey in fight against human smuggling extending from Central Asia to Europe.
That cooperation gave successful outcome, Petkanov said.
Petkanov added that Bulgaria would fulfil its responsibilities in preventing human smuggling as the future outer border of European Union (EU) till the very end.
Aksu later left Sofia for Turkey.
(BRC-AÖ) 30.06.2003