ANKARA (A.A) - 15.04.2002 - President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said on Monday that Turkey attributed great importance to its relations with Baltic states.
President Sezer left for Latvia, the first leg of his four-day tour to Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.
Holding a press conference at Ankara's Esenboga Airport prior to his departure, President Sezer said that he would pay an official visit to Latvia upon invitation of President Vaira Vike Freiberga of Latvia.
''After wrapping up my contacts in Latvia, I will visit Lithuania as the official guest of President Valdas Adamkus of Lithuania. Later, I will proceed to Estonia as the official guest of President Arnold Ruutel,'' he said.
Recalling that those three Baltic states had acquired their independence following the World War I, President Sezer told reporters, ''however, they lost their independence in the turbulent atmosphere of the World War II. These countries regained their independence and freedom after the end of the Cold War. Our sharing democratic values with these countries diminish the geographical distance.''
''Turkey has set up good relations with these countries after they acquired their independence in the beginning of 1990s. We have been expending efforts to further develop our cooperation with Baltic states on the basis of our traditional friendship. Also, we have been expending efforts to further improve our economic, commercial and cultural relations with these three countries,'' he told reporters.
Noting that he would hold contacts with Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian statesmen, President Sezer said, ''I envisaged to take up the issues of bilateral and multilateral cooperation, further development of economic and commercial cooperation and further improvement of international solidarity against terrorism.''
Sezer said that they would have the opportunity to review participations of Baltic countries to European-Atlantic organizations, the regional and international problems related to all three countries and the last developments within the scope of Europe integration.
He said, ''I will visit cemetery for Turkish soldiers in Cesis city of Latvia. I will deliver speeches at the meetings of Turkey-Lithuania in Vilnius and Turkey-Estonia Business Council in Tallinn.''
Sezer went on saying, ''Turkey attributes great importance to the relations with Baltic countries. I believe that further improvement of the relations between Turkey and three Baltic countries which share the joint goal for the sound realization of Europe-Atlantic integration will be advantageous for our mutual benefits.''
Sezer added that he wished that his visits would contribute to the development of the relations between Turkey and Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.