ANKARA - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul will go to Algeria next weekend.
A Foreign Ministry statement noted on Saturday that Gul would pay an official visit to Algeria between 9th-10th April as the guest of Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdelaziz Belkhadem. Algeria is an important country for Turkey in respect of relations with the eastern Mediterranean and Africa as it is one of the leading actors of the Arab world, it is current member of U.N. Security Council and as it has dynamic population, rich natural resources and important geographical status.
Gul's visit to Algeria shows the resolution of both sides to further improve their relations after the visit of Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to Turkey last February.
During Gul's visit, the issue of protecting the elements of common history and culture in Algeria will also be discussed. Within this framework the two sides aim to make cooperation to protect and restore the constructions in Algeria remaining from the Ottoman period.
Turkey's trade volume with its biggest trade partner in African continent; Algeria; reached 2 billion dollars in 2004. Turkish contractors are very much interested in many projects in this country. A group of businessmen is expected to accompany Gul during his visit to Algeria.