MOSCOW - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Tuesday that Turkey suffered very much from terrorism and added that friends of Turkey should trust Turkey in fight against terrorism.
Russian President Vladimir Putin received Gul and told Gul that they knew how much Turkey suffered from terrorism and added that the more they exerted efforts in fight against terrorism, the better it would be.
Gul said that Turkey was one of the leading countries in fight against terrorism and it amply fulfilled its responsibilities on that issue. He stressed that friends of Turkey should trust Turkey in fight against terrorism.
Diplomatic sources said that the meeting was very friendly and it had a good atmosphere, adding that Putin told Gul that when Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Justice and Development Party (AK Party) came into power, relations between Turkey and Russia became stable including sensitive issues such as fight against terrorism.
Noting that Russia was the second important partner of Turkey in Europe after Germany, Putin said that trade volume between Russia and Turkey was nearly six billion dollars last year and when shuttle trade was added, this amount reached ten billion dollars.
Gul said in his part that Russia has become a stronger and more stable country under the leadership of Putin, adding, ''the characteristic feature of existing period in Turkey and Russia stems from two countries' having a strong leadership.''
Referring to the help of Russia to Turkey in the fields of aluminum, glass, iron and steel in 1900s, Gul said that Turkey returned this with agricultural products.
Diplomatic sources said that Putin told Gul that relations between the two countries gained a deep quality and added that Turkey and Russia were mutually understanding and discovering each other better.
Putin expressed his pleasure that Cyprus issue has reached a solution path. Gul asked Russia's support for Turkish side's initiative for finding a solution.
Sides said that they were pleased with the development of economic relations of the two countries and reached a consensus on further improving those relations.
Putin said that they were following the attitude of Turkey about Iraq issue with interest and appreciation and stressed that the United Nations should undertake more influential role in Iraq. Noting that Turkey had been exerting efforts to prevent the war since the beginning and started a regional initiative, Gul recalled meeting of regional countries in Kuwait.
Gul said that Turkey and Russia could make cooperation in reconstruction of Iraq.
Passing of Russian tankers from the Straits was also brought onto agenda during the meeting. Gul said that the ratio of transportation of oil with tankers increased and added that it was necessary to discuss how this would be channelized.
Gul then separately met with Russian Federation Council Chairman Sergey Mironov and Moscow Mayor Yuri Lujkov.
(GC-AÖ) 24.02.2004