TEHRAN - Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Erkan Mumcu who is currently paying an official visit to Iran and Iranian Islamic Culture and Guidance Minister Ahmad Masced Jamei signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in field of tourism on Tuesday.
Mumcu said that the interest that was shown during the Turkish-Iranian Business Council meeting, official meetings and Turkish Tourism Days meeting at the Azadi Hotel in Tehran proved that there was quite warm atmosphere in Iran towards Turkey.
Noting that the two countries which had had a relationship free of problems for 400 years had good relations on a proper ground, Mumcu said, ''I think that it is both our and the private sectors' and peoples' of our two countries duty to turn this proper environment into a mechanism of relations.'' Noting that they were very pleased to see that both sides had such an approach, Mumcu said that impacts of it had been observed in rapid improvement of bilateral relations in every field.
''The mutual understanding which has been gradually improving in bilateral relations and the bilateral commercial relations which have been doubled in recent period are quite pleasing,'' Mumcu said and added, ''I want to mention that we do have the intention to maintain it.''
Mumcu added that the memorandum of understanding included encouragement of mutual travels and mutual investments and exchange of personnel and experiences in field of tourism.
Meanwhile, Jamei said that relations between Iran and its sister and friendly country Turkey had been developing and there were common facts like cultural values and historical similarities between Turkey and Iran.
Jamei added that the principle of dialogue among civilization which had been presented to the world by Iran had provided a significant basis for consolidation of relations between Turkey and Iran in terms of tourism, culture and history.
Mumcu who arrived in Tehran early the same day opened the ''Turkish Tourism Days'' fair together with Jamei and later attended Third Meeting of the Turkish-Iranian Business Council.
Mumcu is expected to be received by Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref and meet with Iranian Education and Training Minister Morteza Hazi-Qaem on Wednesday.
(MS) 27.04.2004