ANKARA - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee with an official ceremony on Wednesday.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler, Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim, Health Minister Recep Akdag and other officials also attended the ceremony held at Prime Ministry Headquarters.
India's last visit at Prime Minister level to Turkey was paid in 1988.

ERDOGAN: ''WE ARE WILLING TO INCREASE BILATERAL TRADE VOLUME TO ONE BILLION U.S. DOLLARS TILL 2005''
Erdogan said that Turkey and India wanted to increase bilateral trade volume to one billion U.S. dollars.
The two countries signed protocols regarding exchange of information technology, computer, scientific and technical cooperation, formation of joint working group between Turkey and India foreign ministries, and agreement on extradition of criminals. The two countries also exchanged notes on cooperation in tourism.
Speaking after the signing ceremony of the protocols, Erdogan said Turkey and India had relations rooted in history, and stated that the two countries have joint cultural values.
Erdogan said this was the first visit from India in prime ministerial level after 15 years, stating that the talks focused on further improvement of relations.
Erdogan said both countries have determination to improve relations, and noted that, ''we agreed to continue reciprocal visits. We are resolved to improve relations particularly in economy. Trade volume between the two countries is around 630 million U.S. dollars. Turkey has 65 million U.S. dollars exports to India, and 565 million U.S. dollars importation to this country. We are willing to increase this figure to one billion U.S. dollars till 2005.''
Erdogan said they also envisaged to improve cooperation in agriculture, energy, information technology, electronics, and advanced technology.
Erdogan said Turkish Airlines would resume flights to New Delhi on Thursday in cooperation with Indian Airlines.

VAJPAYEE: INDIA CAN ONLY THINK OF SENDING SOLDIERS TO IRAQ AFTER A U.N. RESOLUTION
Vajpayee recalled that the U.N. Security Council had not made any resolution on dispatch of soldiers to Iraq yet and stated that India had a view for awaiting this resolution to answer to the demand on soldiers of the United States.
Upon a question on the United States' demand on soldiers, Vajpayee said that when the U.N. Security Council took action, India would make its decision by taking all aspects in mind including its internal security.
Upon a question on India's policy on the Middle East, Vajpayee said that they did not support ''vicious circle of violence'' in the region and stated that India conveyed this message to both sides.
Vajpayee said that they did not support the issue of sending Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to exile as Arafat was an elected leader.
Stating that Erdogan and he took up many issues and held a beneficial meeting, Vajpayee said that they aimed to increase trade volume between the two countries to 1 billion U.S. dollars in 2005. He added that Erdogan and he decided to form a working group under the chairmanship of ministers for economy.
Stressing that Turkish Airlines' (THY) starting its flights between Istanbul-New Delhi was of great importance for direct contact between peoples of the two countries, Vajpayee said that they invited a delegation from Turkey to India for civilian space technologies. He added that they also made a proposal on granting scholarship to 50 Turkish people who worked in that field.
Vajpayee said that the two countries also decided to form a working group on the issue of terror and stated that both countries suffered much from terrorism.
Vajpayee said that they decided that foreign ministers of the two countries should come together once a year at least and tourism and trade ministers should also have contact.

ARINC RECEIVES VAJPAYEE
Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc on Wednesday received Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.
Health Minister Recep Akdag, Turkey's Ambassador to India Hasan Gogus and Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Consultant Engin Turker participated in the meeting.

(AY-AÖ) 17.09.2003