Erdogan: It Is Time To Leave Aside Racist Understandings

SIMFEREPOL - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said, ''it is time to leave aside racist understandings. Today, ideological state structures have failed. However, efforts have still been continuing to arouse them again.''
Prime Minister Erdogan, who is currently paying an official visit to Ukraine, met with Parliament Speaker Boris Deic of autonomous Republic of Crimea and government officials on Saturday.
Speaking at the meeting, Deic said that Prime Minister Erdogan's visit to autonomous Republic of Crimea would make a valuable contribution to the bilateral relations between Turkey and Ukraine.
Recalling that he, together with the speaker of Ukrainian parliament, had paid a visit to Turkey in March of 2003, Deic said that they had held comprehensive talks with Turkish officials, but could not met with Prime Minister Erdogan.
He said that Turkish delegation's visit to autonomous Republic of Crimea had corroborated the dynamism in the bilateral relations between Turkey and Ukraine.
Meanwhile, autonomous Republic of Crimea Council of Ministers First Deputy Chairman Anatoli Kornevchuk said that Turkey was ranked 23rd among 114 countries investing in Ukraine.
Stressing that they aimed to further develop their relations with Turkey especially in tourism and agriculture, Kornevchuk highlighted importance of resettlement of Crimean Tatars, who had been sent into exile, in terms of relations between the two countries. Noting that Ukraine had faced with the problem after collapse of the former Soviet Union, Kornevchuk said that they could not overcome the problem due to economic difficulties.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Erdogan said, ''all peoples of the Black Sea littoral countries had a special place in the history. Besides commerce and art, wars and exiles constituted important steps of the history. We wish that Russians, Ukrainians and Tatars will live in Crimea in peace.''
Describing Turkey and Ukraine as two countries having strategic importance, Prime Minister Erdogan said, ''the bilateral relations between our two countries will turn into a union of power and become model of an exemplary solidarity in the world.''
Highlighting historical and geographical importance of Crimea, Prime Minister Erdogan said, ''there have been significant cultural ties between Turkey and Crimea. Turkey attributes importance to Crimean Tatars who were sent to exile in 1994 and then allowed to return their homeland in 1980s, due to historical and cultural ties. Turkey considers Crimean Tatars an important factor contributing to the bilateral relations between Turkey and Ukraine.''
''We have been supporting efforts of Ukraine for integration of Tatars who returned to Crimea. Turkey has become the most important country assisting Crimea. However, some recent developments have created concerns in Turkey. It is time to leave aside racist understandings. Today, ideological state structures have failed. However, efforts have still been continuing to arouse them again. We think that peace and tranquillity will be sustained in autonomous Republic of Crimea. I believe that distinguished directors of Crimea will take necessary steps to prevent activities of marginal groups,'' he added.

CRIMEAN ENGINEERING AND PEDAGOGICS UNIVERSITY AWARDS PRIME MINISTER ERDOGAN WITH HONORARY DOCTORATE
Erdogan has said, ''we have been trying to contribute to Ukrainian officials' efforts for the process of return of Crimean Tatars to their homeland.''
The Crimean Engineering and Pedagogics University awarded Prime Minister Erdogan with honorary doctorate on Saturday.
Speaking at the ceremony, Prime Minister Erdogan said, ''our common history has prepared the most appropriate ground for development of the bilateral relations between Turkey and Ukraine. Crimea, an inseparable part of Ukraine, is the closest territory of Ukraine to Turkey.''
Recalling that the Turkish government had given priority to further improvement of bilateral relations with Ukraine, Prime Minister Erdogan said, ''we aim to facilitate mutual communication between our peoples, to increase welfare of our countries by benefiting from economic and commercial opportunities, and to have a secure future in our geography.''
''I believe that Ukrainian students studying in Turkey and Turkish students studying in Ukraine will have a quite positive impact on future of our bilateral relations,'' he stressed.
He said, ''we will maintain our contributions worth of nearly five million U.S. dollars through the Turkish Cooperation and Development Agency both in the bilateral level and in co-operation with international organizations. Our target is that our contributions will help further development of living quality of Crimean people. Both Turkey and the international community expect formation of a new order in Crimea in which prejudices and marginal circles could not disrupt economic and social stability.''
''Crimea, one of the richest mosaics of the Black Sea in terms of oldest languages, religions and cultures of the world, will be one of the most important centers of our joint geography in the future,'' Prime Minister Erdogan added.
(UK-MS) 03.04.2004