VIENNA - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul departed on Wednesday from Vienna, Austria, where he paid an official visit for three days.
Prior to his departure, Gul met with Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Director General Carlos Magarinos and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa.
Gul released a statement about his official contacts in Austria and said that he attended the conference of ministers held to accelerate the process of enforcement of Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.
''In the speech I made in the meeting, I stressed importance that Turkey attributes to prevention of proliferation of nuclear weapons and the ratification and enforcement of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which is one the most important means to achieve this goal, by all countries,'' Gul said.
Gul recalled that he held some bilateral meetings during the conference and he exchanged views about bilateral relations and current issues with Finnish and Japanese foreign ministers and Italian deputy foreign minister.
He visited U.N. Office at Vienna and met with the officials working there, Gul emphasized.
Gul added, ''in my meeting with UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa, I stated that our country will continue to support efforts carried out under the auspices of the U.N. to fight against corruption, drugs, organized crime, terrorism, human smuggling and justice of punishment. And, I emphasized importance of international cooperation in these fields.''
(BRC-AÖ) 03.09.2003