Yanukovych wants to deepen Ukrainian-Turkish relations

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych noted the importance of deepening of Ukrainian-Turkish strategic partnership.

"The expansion of the Ukrainian-Turkish strategic partnership is an important part of overall efforts to promote peace, stability and sustainable social and economic development in the Black Sea region," President Viktor Yanukovych said at the second meeting of the Ukrainian-Turkish Strategic Council of high-level, held in Kyiv, ForUm learned from the President’s press service.

 

The President noted the high level of mutual support, which exists today between the two countries in the international arena. He also expressed hope for further fruitful cooperation between the Foreign Ministries of Ukraine and Turkey in the context of our country's chairmanship of the OSCE in 2013.

Yanukovych also noted the significant attention that Ukraine and Turkey pay to talks on a free trade area. "We have discussed this matter in detail with the Prime Minister Erdogan, and we believe that the signing of the Agreement should be held with the highest regard to economic interests of both countries," he said.

 

The Head of State added that the inter-regional dimension has also great potential for bilateral cooperation. Odessa and Istanbul, according to him, are now the leaders in the process. "I am convinced that the regions of Ukraine and the Turkish provinces should contact more actively, establish direct business relationships. We should approve long-term program on inter-regional cooperation as quickly as possible," he said.

According to Yanukovych, another important task is successful implementation of the Agreement on direct rail-ferry communication between the ports of Ukraine and Turkey. "I am confident that this Agreement, strengthened by the relevant regulatory documents, will be the basis for future large-scale joint projects," he said.

 

The head of state also drew attention to the good prospects of bilateral cooperation in the space sector, where significant scientific capacities of Ukraine and Turkey's ambitious plans to build its own aerospace industry can be effectively combined.

"We also look forward to concrete proposals for cooperation in the military-industrial complex," he added.
The President called an important step in the development of bilateral relations introduction in August a short-term visa-free travels for citizens of Ukraine and Turkey. "The citizens of our countries have already seen efficiency of this step," he said.

Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey, in turn, said: "We created the Strategic Council to strengthen our relationship with specific projects. I believe that we will be able to further developing our country due the Council meetings," he said.

Among the first results of the Strategic Council, Erdogan called the entry into force of the Agreement on the facilitation of border crossing by citizens of the two countries, the positive changes in the free trade area negotiation. "This is an example of results of our work," he stressed.