ISTANBUL - Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, who paid an official visit to Turkey, left Turkey for his country on Saturday.
Georgian President Saakashvili, who came to Turkey earlier in the day for a three-day official visit as the guest of Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, was welcomed by an official ceremony at the Presidential Palace.
In the ceremony, Sezer said, ''Georgia's sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and stability are indispensable factors for peace and prosperity of whole Caucasian region. Therefore, we welcomed efforts to overcome peacefully the tension between Georgia and the autonomous Republic of Adzharia as a result of Georgian government's attitude of common-sense.''
Sezer and Saakashvili later held a joint press conference.
Turkish President Sezer said that Turkey was closely following the problems in Southern Caucasia, adding that it was important to solve Abkhazia and Southern Osetia problems in peaceful ways and within territorial integrity of Georgia. Saakashvili said that Georgia was expecting Turkey's assistance in integration with NATO.
Georgian President Saakashvili later visited Turkish Deputy Parliament Speaker Yilmaz Ates.
Turkish-Georgian relations were of critical importance for regional peace and stability, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said in a conference organized by Eurasia Strategic Research Center in Turkish capital Ankara earlier on Thursday.
Sezer hosted dinner in Saakashvili's honor on Thursday. Preservation of Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity were among priorities of Turkish foreign policy, Sezer said during the dinner. Saakashvili, in his part, noted that Turkey would have a neighbor in the future which would undertake the responsibility to make South Caucasus and Black Sea regions of peace and stability.
Georgian President Saakashvili received Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul on Friday.
Proceeding to Istanbul later on Friday, Saakashvili attended a luncheon hosted in his honor by Turkish-Georgian Business Council and called on Turkish businessmen to invest in Georgia.
Saakashvili then had a meeting with Turkish Chief of General Staff Hilmi Ozkok and received Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
(BRC) 22.05.2004