ISTANBUL - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met on Monday with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.
Zapatero said at the meeting that Spain supports Turkey's European Union (EU) process, adding that Turkey could be sure about Spain's support regarding its receiving a date from the EU.
Zapatero said that he believed that the report of the EU Commission, which would be presented in October, would be positive and added that they all see what is being fulfilled in Turkey.
Noting that Turkey was an important country for Spain, Zapatero especially expressed pleasure over the cooperation between two countries on aviation field and said that the cooperation should increase.
Erdogan noted that trade volume between two countries should be increased. Zapatero and Erdogan took up what could be done in joint aircraft production.
Erdogan underlined the facilities which were provided by Turkey to foreign investors and said that Turkey would also provide facilities for opening to markets of Caucasia, Central Asia and Middle East.
Regarding fight against terrorism, Erdogan said that money, which was spent for weapons, should be spent for humanitarian purposes such as education and health. He stressed that the budget of National Education Ministry in Turkey was more than the budget of National Defense Ministry for the first time.
(GC-AÖ) 28.06.2004