Presidents of Ukraine, Turkey make joint statement

"I am glad to welcome to Ukraine the Prime Minister of Turkey, my good friend Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 

At our last meeting in Istanbul in June 2010, we agreed to significantly strengthen relations between our countries and the agreement on strategic partnership with substance. 

We are also looking forward to the official visit of President of Turkey Abdullah Gul to Ukraine.

Today's talks have been constructive, informative and friendly. 

Firstly, we have signed a Joint Declaration on Establishment of Strategic High Level Council between Ukraine and Turkey. This important event in the development of our relations has become a worthy answer to the current needs of both nations. 

We have agreed that this is an effective mechanism of cooperation at the bilateral level. We have agreed that we set the goal to increase trade turnover between our countries to $10 billion during the first five years, and to $20 billion in ten years. 

Secondly, we will be working to improve working conditions for Ukrainian companies in Turkey and Turkish companies in Ukraine. 

We have dedicated special attention to such industries as energy, and agreed that we will be pursuing common policies and use the experience of highly skilled professionals both in Ukraine and Turkey. We would like to note that we are also interested in pursuing a common policy while working in third countries. 

In transport industry we have agreed on the necessity to create trans-regional transport corridors, which are to connect Eastern and Northern Europe with the Middle East and Central Asia. 

Thirdly. We have agreed to cooperate in the area of defense-industrial complex. Ukrainian companies are willing to participate in tenders to address the needs of the Turkish army. The Turkish side is ready to consider our suggestions. This is a good signal for both sides. 

By the way, in February 2011, Turkey plans to launch satellite Rasat using the Dnipro rocket. And cooperation in the aerospace industry will continue. 

We have agreed today with Mr. Prime Minister to begin the negotiation process on concluding a free trade agreement between Ukraine and Turkey. We have also agreed today to begin the process of lifting visa requirements. Thus, we continue to expand the geography of countries, where the citizens of Ukraine and Turkey will travel without visas," the President of Ukraine said. 

In turn, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his satisfaction with today’s meetings on the Ukrainian land, stressing that the Turkish delegation has at last made a visit to Ukraine, which had been being postponed for many years. 

He noted that about 600 representatives of business circles of Turkey have come to Ukraine with the official delegation of Turkey. "This is a sign of important step taken towards cooperation between our countries," Prime Minister Erdogan said. "We wish that Ukrainian and Turkish businessmen carried out joint projects, and jointly participated in projects in third countries," he added. 

He also expressed confidence that the Turkish business will participate in EURO 2012 preparation projects in Ukraine. 

The Prime Minister praised the Ukrainian-Turkish documents signed today. "We have approved the most important steps that should be done to promote cooperation, particularly in economy, education, politics, etc.," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said. 

"We have reached an agreement to elevate our relations to a new and higher level ... Our aim is to elevate friendship and cooperation between Ukraine and Turkey to the level of strategic partnership. Therefore, with my friend, President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych, we have just signed the Joint Declaration on Establishment of Strategic High Level Council between Ukraine and Turkey," the Prime Minister of Turkey said. 

Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his confidence that his visit to Ukraine will be a powerful impetus to development of the Ukrainian-Turkish relations.