ANKARA - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Saturday, ''as you know, we held an assessment meeting with our ambassadors in Middle Eastern countries. We plan to hold similar meetings with our ambassadors in member countries to the European Union (EU).''
Gul met with Foreign Minister Kostyantyn Hryshchenko of Ukraine who is currently in Ankara on a working visit.
Later, Gul and Hryshchenko held a joint press conference.
Responding a question about yesterday's meeting held with the participation of Turkish ambassadors in Middle Eastern countries, Gul said, ''we held an assessment meeting with our ambassadors in Middle Eastern countries. We plan to hold similar meetings with our ambassadors in member countries to the EU.''
When asked about view of Turkish ambassadors on dispatch of Turkish soldiers to Iraq, Gul told reporters, ''there is nothing to talk about this issue. It does not take place on our agenda for the time being.''
Upon a question about abduction of the Turkish engineer in Afghanistan, Gul said, ''the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant units have launched necessary initiatives for his release. Also, we have been holding perpetual contacts with the United States.''
Referring to relations between Turkey and Ukraine, Gul described them as two important countries of the region having important similarities.
Noting that Ukrainian prime minister was planning to pay an official visit to Turkey in December, Gul told reporters, ''during our today's meeting, we scrutinized our bilateral relations. As two Black Sea littoral countries, we exchanged views over security in the region.''
''We support Ukraine's membership to NATO and the other international organizations. Also, we attribute great importance to territorial integrity of Ukraine,'' he added.
Meanwhile, Hryshchenko said in his part that they considered Turkey a significant partner in rebuilding process of Iraq.
He noted that the issue of security in Iraq was brought onto agenda at their meeting.
Stressing that Turkey and Ukraine could cooperate in projects about the rebuilding process of Iraq, Hryshchenko said that they needed assistance to overcome security problems of Ukrainian soldiers in Iraq.
(UK) 01.11.2003