VIENNA - The 80th foundation anniversary of the Turkish Republic was celebrated in various activities in Vienna, Austria on Wednesday.
A symposium was held on the relations of Turkey-Austria upon the 80th foundation anniversary of the Turkish Republic.
Sending a message to the symposium which was read by Turkish Ambassador to Vienna Mithat Balkan, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that the relations between the two countries were very dynamic and they had been very beneficial. ''The official visits of the prime minister and mine to Austria are the concrete sign of the fact that we want to improve our relations. We are resolved to further improve our relations,'' Gul said in his message.
Addressing the opening of the symposium, Austrian State Archives Director Dr. Ernest Petritsch explained the bilateral relations since the Ottoman era. Recalling the peace agreement signed between Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and Habsburg Dynasty of Austria in 1592, Petritsch said that there were very friendly relations between the two countries during the Turkish Republic era.
Noting that many Austrian scientists and politicians of Jewish origin took shelter in Turkey between the years 1938-1945 when Nazi army invaded Austria, Petritsch said that those scientists and politicians contributed significantly to development of relations between the two countries.
The symposium will also continue with various panel discussions on Thursday.
(ÖŞ-AÖ) 30.10.2003