ANTALYA - State Minister Mehmet Aydýn said on Tuesday that Turkey's importance would increase if the relations with the European Union (EU) developed to the point which Turkey targeted.
State Minister Aydýn attended the opening ceremony of Kazakhstan's Honourary Consulate in Antalya the same day.
Aydýn said that the relations between Turkey and Kazakhstan were beyond protocol relations, adding that he regarded consulate services also as institutions of friendship.
''Turkey's importance will increase if the relations with the European Union (EU) develop to the point which Turkey targets. In this case, our relations with sister nations, and states will gain bigger dimensions. Turkey will have the opportunity to be bridge between sister states and other states,'' Aydýn said.
Kazakh Foreign Minister Kasimcomart Tokayev said in his part that relations between Turkey and Kazakhstan developed very rapidly in the last ten years. Tokayev stated that opening of an honourary consulate in one country was the sign of close friendship between the countries.
Antalya Governor Alaaddin Yuksel said that Antalya would host the 20th consulate with that of Kazakhstan. ''Kazakhstan is the first Turkic state which opened an honourary consulate in Antalya,'' said Yuksel.
Huseyin Acarlýoglu has been Kazakhstan's Honourary Consul in Antalya.
(ÖÞ) 15.07.2003