ULAN-BATUR (A.A) - 02.06.2002 - President Ahmet Necdet Sezer started his official contacts in Mongolian capital Ulan-Batur on Sunday.
An official welcoming ceremony was held by President Natsagiin Bagabandi of Mongolia in Suhbatur Square in honor of President Sezer.
President Sezer laid a wreath in front of a monument of Suhbatur, the founder of modern Mongolia.
Later, President Sezer and his Mongolian counterpart Bagabandi held a tete-a-tete meeting.
Speaking at the meeting, President Bagabandi said, ''the official visit of President Sezer to Mongolia will accelerate cooperation between the two countries.''
President Bagabandi said that Sezer was the second Turkish president paying an official visit to Mongolia.
SEZER AND BAGABANDI OF MONGOLIA HOLD A JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE
Following the official meetings, the highway transportation agreement was signed in the presence of President Sezer and President Bagabandi.
The agreement was signed by State Minister Resat Dogru; Mongolian Minister of Education, Culture and Science Ayurzanyn Tsanjid, and Turkey-Mongolia Joint Economic Commission Co-President Sencid.
Later, President Sezer and President Bagabandi held a joint press conference.
Speaking at the press conference, President Sezer said, ''relations between Turkey and Mongolia have accelerated in every field in the last ten years. Bagabandi paid a visit to Turkey in 1993 as the speaker of Mongolian parliament and another visit in 1998 as the president of Mongolia. The first official visit from Turkey to Mongolia on the presidential level was paid in 1995. I am the second Turkish president paying an official visit to Mongolia. These visits have made valuable contribution to our bilateral relations.''
''During my meeting with President Bagabandi of Mongolia, we had the opportunity to express our determination to further improve our relations. In the last decade, more than twenty agreements were signed between Turkey and Mongolia. As a result, our bilateral relations have accelerated in every field. Also, our military and defense industry relations have been further improving,'' he said.
President Sezer continued, ''Turkish and Mongolian defense ministers paid mutual visits a short while ago. Mongolian officers have been receiving education in military schools in Turkey.''
''We should give priority to development of economic and commercial relations between our two countries. Because of geographical distance between Turkey and Mongolia, our economic and commercial relations are far away from our real potentials. During the meetings, we took up measures to be taken to develop our economic and commercial relations. We signed an agreement envisaging to develop highway transportation as a first step to resolve the problems in our commercial relations,'' he said.
President Sezer thanked President Bagabandi for his support to joint protection and restoration projects for Bulge Khan and Kul Tigin monuments.
''We also underlined importance of international cooperation in fight against terrorism. The terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001 revealed that terrorist organizations did not restrict themselves with their own countries. All countries have realized importance of international cooperation in fight against terrorism. Summit meeting of Conference for Cooperation and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia to be held in Kazakhstan will constitute an important step in international cooperation in fight against terrorism,'' he added.
Meanwhile, President Bagabandi said in his part that relations between the two countries had been further improving in every field.
Noting that they had held friendly talks, President Bagabandi underlined importance of cooperation between Turkey and Mongolia in education and culture.
Expressing his satisfaction over cooperation between the two countries in security, President Bagabandi thanked Turkey for including Mongolia in the list of countries that Turkey would send military and technical equipment aid.
President Bagabandi added that Turkish Eximbank would lend Mongolia a 20 million U.S. dollars loan to finance tourism investments.
CONTACTS OF PRESIDENT SEZER IN MONGOLIA
Sezer said, ''Bilge Khan and Kul Tigin monuments in Orkhon region, the most important symbols of cultural ties between Turkey and Mongolia, have great importance in the history of Turkey. These monuments are also priceless elements of the world cultural heritage.''
President Sezer, partook in a luncheon hosted in his honor by President Natsagiin Bagabandi of Mongolia.
Speaking at the luncheon, President Sezer said, ''the establishment of Karabalgasun, the capital of Uygur state, and of Karakurum, the capital of Chengis Khan and his sons in this region, shows that Orkhun region was an international cradle of culture such as Mesopotamia and Anatolia. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will take Orkhun region and all monuments in the region under protection soon. It is a pleasing development for both Turkey and Mongolia. Bilge Khan and Kul Tigin monuments in Orkhon region, the most important symbols of cultural ties between Turkey and Mongolia, have great importance in the history of Turkey. These monuments are also priceless elements of the world cultural heritage.''
''Turkey opened its embassy in Ulan-Batur in 1996, and Mongolia appointed its ambassador to Turkey in 1997. Then, relations between the two countries have begun to further improve. Mongolian students receiving education in Turkey will set a bridge between our countries. Turkey has been fully supporting Mongolia's efforts to become a democratic member of the modern world,'' he added.
Meanwhile, President Natsagiin Bagabandi of Turkey said that Mongolia had been watching Turkey's development with proud.
Turkey which had a rich historical background and a fundemental tradition of state, has been acting as a bridge between Asia and Europe and its cultural assets, modernism and development attracted attention of the whole world, he added.
Later, President Sezer and his wife Semra Sezer visited historical and touristic places in Ulan-Batur.