ANKARA - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Thursday that necessary legal framework agreements for economic and trade relations were completed between Turkey and the Philippines in 1990's, noting that there were big potentials in tourism and trade.
Gul and Secretary of Foreign Affairs Delia Domingo-Albert of the Philippines held a joint news conference after tete-a-tete meetings and talks between the delegations of the two countries.
Gul started the press conference condemning the terrorist attacks in Spain.
Foreign Minister Gul stated that relations between Turkey and the Philippines, the two big countries in east and west edges of Asia, rooted in the Ottoman Empire.
Pointing out that the Philippines took important steps in the recent years, Gul said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of the Philippines had visited Turkey two years ago and that there were very big potentials for development of the bilateral relations.
Gul said Albert was the first foreign minister of the Philippines visiting Turkey, stating that this country carried out temporary membership of the U.N. Security Council successfully since January 2004.
Gul said the Philippines desired to get observer status in OIC.
When journalists reminded Gul the wish of Albert for having more women in the Turkish government, he said the Philippines was one of the countries in which women were very active in political platform. Gul said, ''it is not possible for us to compete with them.''
(AY-AÖ) 11.03.2004