Agro Perspectiva

President stresses importance of expanding Ukrainian-Turkish strategic partnership

13.09.2012 16:33 "Agro Perspectiva" (Kyiv) — President Yanukovych emphasizes the importance of expanding Ukrainian-Turkish strategic cooperation. «Broadening Ukrainian-Turkish strategic partnership is an important part of ensuring peace, stability and constant social and economic development in Black Sea region,» the President noted at the Second meeting of Ukrainian-Turkish Strategic Council of the high level, says President Viktor Yanukovych Press Office. The President noted the high level of mutual support between the two states on the world arena. He also expressed hope for the fruitful cooperation between Ukrainian and Turkish foreign ministries in the context of Ukraine’s presidency in the OSCE in 2013. Viktor Yanukovych particularly stressed the importance of establishing the free trade area between Ukraine and Turkey. «We’ve discussed this issue with Mr. Prime Minister and think that the signing of the Agreement must be held with maximum consideration of economic interests of the both states,» he said. The Head of State also added that the great potential of bilateral cooperation is also contained in inter-regional dimension. Leaders in this process, according to the President, are Odessa and Istanbul. «I am confident that Ukrainian and Turkish regions should cooperate more actively and establish direct business ties. We should adopt the long-term Program of inter-regional cooperation as soon as possible,» the President noted. The President also noted importance of the successful implementation of the Agreement on the organization of direct rail-ferry communication between the ports of Ukraine and Turkey. «I am confident that this agreement strengthened by relevant governing documents will form the basis for future large-scale joint projects,» he stressed. He also drew attention to the good prospects of bilateral cooperation in the space sector, which can effectively combine significant scientific capacities of Ukraine and Turkey’s ambitious plans to create its own aerospace industry. «We also look forward to the concrete proposals of cooperation in the sphere of military-industrial complex,» he added. The Head of State also stressed the significance of introducing in August the visa-free regime for short-term trips of Ukrainian and Turkish citizens. «The efficiency of this step has already been felt by the citizens of our state,» he said. In his turn, the Prime Minister of Turkey stated that in 2013, Turkey was willing to «put Ukraine to the list of countries with which it has strategic and top-priority ties». «We’ve established the Strategic Council to strengthen our relations with concrete projects. I believe that this Council will further develop our cooperation,» he said. Among the first results of the work of the Strategic Council R. Erdoğan called the Agreement on the Facilitation of border crossing by citizens of the two countries and improvements in the negotiation of a free trade area. «This is a concrete example of the results of our work,» he stressed. Turkish Prime Minister expressed hope that the Agreement on a free trade area would have been signed by the end of the year and trade turnover would have reached $ 20 billion by 2015. «I believe that this Agreement will give a boost to this process,» he said.