ISTANBUL - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who completed his meetings in Greece returned to Turkey late on Saturday.
Speaking to reporters at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport, Erdogan said that formation of economic and commercial infrastructure with Greece would further strengthen steps which would be taken on political point.
Recalling that he paid a visit to Greece upon invitation of Greek Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis, Erdogan said that he held very beneficial meetings in Athens and Western Thrace.
Erdogan said that he became the first Turkish prime minister paying a visit to Athens after 16 years and to Western Thrace after 52 years and noted that his visit aimed to further improve peace and friendship between Turkey and Greece.
Erdogan said that he conveyed Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's invitation to Greek President for 2005 and Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc's invitation to Greek Parliament Speaker.
Prime Minister Erdogan said that Greek Prime Minister Caramanlis's messages put forth how ties between the two countries would be improved in European Union (EU) process and how Greece would support Turkey.
''We saw a very different joy in our visit to Western Thrace,'' he stated and noted that they felt proud of efforts of Turkish minority in Komotini.
Erdogan said that they saw that Greek citizens were searching how they would live peacefully and added that they were pleased with it.
Erdogan said that trade volume between Turkey and Greece amounted to 1.4 billion U.S. dollars and noted that Caramanlis and he considered that trade volume between the two countries should be further increased.
Stating that there was a very different excitement over tourism sector, he noted that 400 thousand Greek tourists visited Turkey and 160 thousand Turkish tourists visited Greece.
Edogan said that there would different steps which should be taken and stated that bureaucrats in the Foreign Ministry would carry out technical studies.
Stating that they aimed to further improve friendship and peace process with Greece, he said that Greece would continue to support Turkey in its EU process.
Replying to a question on strategic partnership, Erdogan said that Aegean issue was the most important one in those issues and stated that the two countries were moving on a good path.
(EÖ-AY) 09.05.2004