TBILISI - National Education Minister Necdet Tekin has said that Turkey attributed great importance to Georgia's territorial integrity.
As part of his official contacts in Georgia, Tekin had a meeting with Georgian Deputy Parliament Speaker Vakhtang Kolbaia and other Parliament officials.
Tekin said that Turkey wanted Georgia to live in peace and prosperity adding that the Turkish government wanted to raise the level of cooperation in every field with Georgia including education.
A protocol will be signed between the national education ministries of Turkey and Georgia tomorrow.
Kolbaia, during his speech, said that his country was going through a difficult time and stressed that Turkey held an important place among Georgia's friends.
Kolbaia apologized on behalf of Parliament Speaker Nino Burjanadze who had to postpone his meeting with Tekin due to the Georgian National Security Council meeting.
Kolbaia said that the good relations between Turkish and Georgian parliaments reflected the friendship between the peoples of the two countries. Kolbaia also said that the protocol which will be signed between Turkish and Georgian national education ministries was very important to them.
He said that Turkish language and literture were taught successfully at Georgian universities adding that the two nations would start understanding each other better if they speak each other's language.
Tekin later visited Mitskheta near Tbilisi which is known as Georgia's historic and touristic region.
Tekin will be received by Presidetn Edward Shewardnadze and State Minister Actandil Jorbenadze. Later he and his Georgian counterpart Alexander Kartozia will sign a protocol to develop educational cooperation between the two countries.