ANKARA - Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer has hosted a dinner reception for the visiting Korean President Roh Moo-hyun at the Cankaya Palace.
President Sezer indicated that Moo-hyun's visit is the first one by a Korean President. ''Although we are hundreds of kilometers away, we have close, historical ties with the Korean Republic.''
Sezer remarked that the Turks were neighbors in East Asia prior to their trip to Anatolia. ''We are old neighbors. Turkish and Korean languages have noticeable similarities.''
Sezer stressed that 65,000 Turkish military personnel were on duty in Korea between 1950-1971. ''Turkey lost over 700 of its soldiers during the Korean War. The Korean hospitality towards the families of Turkish martyrs and veterans is very pleasing to see and experience.''
President Sezer mentioned that the Turks fought very bravely to defend and protect the freedom of the Korean people. Just as the Turks helped the Koreans during their time of need, the Koreans also helped the Turks during hard times, said Sezer.
''During the earthquake of 1999, the Korean people were one of the nations that provided the most assistance to Turkey,'' told Sezer.
According to Sezer, the progress Korea made in politics and commercial area is very impressive. ''Korea is now one of the most influential republics in the world. We wish for our Korean friends to take more advantage of the new regulations and economic stability in Turkey designed for foreign investors.''
Meanwhile, the Korean President Roh Moo-hyun indicated that Turkey is an extremely important nation for Koreans. ''We have warm feelings towards each other.''
Moo-hyun stressed that Turkey is a bridge between civilizations and has a prominent role in the Middle East, Central Asia and Europe. ''I know that the Turks do not see us as friends. Rather, the Turks regard and look at us as brothers and sisters,'' commented Moo-hyun.
Moo-hyun expressed that Turkey played a very key role during the Korean War. ''The Turks fought for our freedom with over 15,000 soldiers. We will never forget the sacrifice Turkey made for us Koreans,'' said Moo-hyun.