ANKARA - Health Minister Recep Akdag received Iranian Ambassador in Ankara Firuz Devletabadi on Tuesday.
Speaking at the meeting, Akdag said that whole Turkish nation felt sorrow over the devastating earthquake in Iran, adding that all neighboring countries should help each other after disasters. ''Cooperation among the neighboring countries in field of health should be improved.''
Recalling that a medical team of 79 staff from his ministry's departments in Ankara, Istanbul, Kocaeli and Bursa had gone to Bam city of Iran to give emergency service, Akdag said that the Turkish medical team had vaccinated nearly thirty thousand people against tetanus and helped Iranian officials chlorinate city water system.
Noting that their cooperation with Iran in field of health would continue, Akdag said, ''our medical team have returned but we are always ready to send every aid whenever it is required. May God protect our two peoples from worse trouble.''
Meanwhile, Iranian Ambassador Devletabadi said in his part that they were grateful to Turkey for its assistance, stressing that the love and sincere interest that Turkish officials had been showing to Iranian people were very meaningful and important for them.
(MS-AÖ) 06.01.2004