ANKARA - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that Turkey and Czech Republic were willing to contribute to installation and strengthening of peace and stability both in the Middle East and in Southeastern Europe.
Erdogan and Czech Republic Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla held a joint news conference after signing of cooperation agreements between the two countries on social security, culture, education, science, and youth and sports.
Erdogan said main target of Spidla's visit was to review rapidly developing relations between the two countries, and to exchange views on various regional and international issues.
Stating that they evaluated developments of the recent years, Erdogan said economic and trade relations increased positively, and noted that they took up ways to further improve relations.
Erdogan said, ''we have determined that there is no problem in our political relations. We decided that trade volume between the two countries, which had been 500 million U.S. dollars last year, was not adequate, and that it should be improved. We reviewed the steps that could be taken to improve trade volume.''
Erdogan said the sides also expressed their willingness to increase cooperation.
Stating that Czech Republic would enter European Union (EU) on May 1, 2004, Erdogan said consultations to benefit from experiences of Czech Republic in this respect would continue by taking into consideration the steps taken by Turkey to be a full member of the EU.
Erdogan said Turkey expected support of Czech Republic in Turkey's full membership process to the EU.
Stating that they also exchanged views on developments in Iraq and the Middle East, Erdogan said the two countries shared similar views in this respect.
Erdogan said Turkish and Czech businessmen reached consensus of opinion that joint ventures could be made in Iraq, adding that they decided to continue bilateral visits to further improve relations.
Erdogan said Social Security Agreement and Cultural Cooperation Agreement which they signed would add a new momentum to bilateral relations.
Erdogan said a trade agreement is foreseen to be signed between state run oil pipeline company BOTAS and a Czech company in Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline.
(AY-AÖ) 02.10.2003