TEHRAN - Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Erkan Mumcu met on Wednesday with Iranian Minister of Education and Training Morteza Hazi-Qaem in Iranian capital Tehran.
Following the meeting, Mumcu told reporters that there was suitable ground for cooperation between two countries.
Mumcu said that Turkey was ready to help friendly country Iran in tourism education in case Iran made such a demand.
Persian language and letters were being taught in some Turkish universities, Mumcu noted.
Expressing pleasure with Turkish language and letters education in an Iranian university named Tabatabayi, Mumcu said that he would be pleased to support that education.
Mumcu stated that Ankara University and Tabatabayi University had signed a protocol and exchanged professional assistance.
He had heard that Turkish language and letters department would be opened in Tabriz University, Mumcu said.
Mumcu pointed out that a delegation from Ankara University visited Tabriz University and signed a cooperation protocol.
Noting that Turkey's Embassy in Tehran wanted to open a culture center in Tabriz, Mumcu asked Iran to lay necessary groundwork for establishment of such a culture center.
Hazi-Qaem, in his part, said that new Turkish and Iranian generations should closely learn about cultural ties between two countries.
It would be more beneficial if school books stressed cooperation and friendly relations between two countries instead of wars that had erupted in the past, Hazi-Qaem stated.
Hazi-Qaem said that Turkish and Iranian young people should know about language and literature of each other.
Mumcu is expected to return to Turkey on Thursday.
Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Erkan Mumcu left for Iran on Monday as the guest of Iranian Islamic Culture and Guidance Minister Ahmad Masjed-Jamei.
Mumcu and Masjed-Jamei inaugurated ''Turkish Tourism Days'' Fair in Tehran on Tuesday.
Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mumcu attended the third meeting of Turkish-Iranian Business Council in Tehran later on Tuesday. Iranian Roads and Transport Minister Ahmad Khoram was also in attendance at the meeting.
Speaking at the meeting, Mumcu said that further improvement of bilateral economic relations between Turkey and Iran would also be beneficial to the other countries in the region.
Mumcu and Masjed-Jamei later signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in tourism.
(BRC) 28.04.2004