ANKARA - Iranian Vice President Mohsen Mehr-Alizadeh said on Thursday that Iran wanted to improve cooperation with Turkey in the field of health, adding that they were ready to treat Turkish patients in hospitals of Iran.
Mehr-Alizadeh visited Health Minister Recep Akdag the same day.
Speaking in the meeting, Mehr-Alizadeh said that he came to Turkey to thank Turkey for its aid to Iran due to the earthquake that took place in Bam city. He said that in addition to the official aid of Turkey, Red Crescent and non governmental organizations also extended great support to Iran.
Noting that he believed his visit would also contribute to improving cooperation between the two countries in the field of health, Mehr-Alizadeh said that the Turkish people also applied to Iranian Embassy in Ankara to help quake survivors in Iran.
Mehr-Alizadeh said that Iran was ready to give all kind of aid to treat Turkish patients in Iranian hospitals, in return to the aid Turkey gave to Iran during the earthquake.
Mehr-Alizadeh stated that as the two countries were on fault lines and went through big quake disasters, Iran wanted to form common commissions with Turkey on search and rescue activities and share their experiences. Mehr-Alizadeh said that the two countries could make cooperation to fight AIDS and other contagious diseases.
Akdag said in his part that the Turkish teams worked very hard in Iran to help rescue and search efforts after the quake in Bam city. ''This was our mission, we did it to help our close neighbour,'' he said, adding that Turkey would do its best to improve the cooperation between the two countries in the field of health.
(Öª-AÖ) 29.01.2004