ANKARA - Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu and his Algerian counterpart Nourredine Yazid Zerhouni signed on Friday a memorandum of understanding.
Speaking in the ceremony, Aksu said that he held constructive meetings with Zerhouni.
Aksu noted that they expressed determination to have cooperation in issues which came onto agenda during talks held between Turkish and Algerian delegations and this was the clear indicator of Turkish-Algerian friendship.
''I think that it is possible to see today's rapprochement between delegations as a sign of security and cooperation agreement to be signed soon. Terrorism, weapons, ammunition and drug trafficking, money laundering and illegal migration and human smuggling are crimes which make international community uneasy the most these days. Although there is not a crime gang which is formed to only harm common interests of Turkey and Algeria, these two friendly countries have decided to cooperate in field of security. We will see how meaningful our preference is if we take into consideration that crime gangs mainly structured as international organizations,'' Aksu said.
Aksu wished that the memorandum of understanding which included important decisions would lay a groundwork to enable a secure and tranquil living for two nations.
Zerhouni said that they should contribute to the atmosphere of confidence in order to lay groundwork of bilateral relations and their efforts aimed at creating atmosphere of confidence between Turkey and Algeria.
Their efforts would help improvement of economic and social relations, Zerhouni emphasized.
Zerhouni stated that they should improve cooperation in fields of security, gendarmerie, and civil defense and pointed to importance of sharing experiences.
Emphasizing that two countries had some cultural and sociologic characteristics which were hardly observed, Zerhouni said that the memorandum of understanding would make contributions in that respect.
Zerhouni will go to Istanbul after wrapping up contacts in Ankara.
(BRC-AÖ) 05.09.2003