ANKARA - Turkey`s Foreign Minister expressed support for Pakistan`s new government on Friday.
Before departing from the Turkish capital Ankara for an official visit to Pakistan, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan told reporters that Turkey supported the decisive steps taken by this country recently in its democratization process.
"Turkey believes that the new Pakistani government, which came into power as a result of the transparent and fair elections held in the country, will carry Pakistan to a bright future within national solidarity and harmony," Babacan said.
He said Turkey would continue to support Pakistan`s fight against terrorism and extremism, as well as its democratization process.
Noting that he was paying this visit upon the invitation of his Pakistani counterpart Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Babacan said, in addition to Qureshi, he will meet President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani during his visit.
Babacan also said he would hold talks with Asif Ali Zardari, spouse of the former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was recently assassinated.
Bhutto was the first woman elected to lead a Muslim State, having twice been Prime Minister of Pakistan (between 1988-1990 and 1993-996). She was assassinated on December 27th, 2007, after departing a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) rally in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi, two weeks before the scheduled Pakistani general election of 2008 where she was a leading opposition candidate.
Turkey`s Foreign Minister is expected to return to Turkey late on Saturday.
(DO-AÖ)