Erdoğan says Turkey-Pakistan relations continue to grow stronger - Today's Zaman

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has reaffirmed the alliance between Turkey and Pakistan, saying the good and powerful political relations between the two countries are growing stronger.
Speaking at a joint press conference with his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, in Islamabad on Tuesday, Erdoğan said Turkey and Pakistan both place great importance on reciprocal visits which will help to develop their relations in every field.
“I am glad to say our political relations with Pakistan are proceeding on a strong base. That is why we attach great importance on reciprocal visits in a bid to strengthen our relations in every field alongside our strong and good political relations. We want to expand our relations in the political, military, economic, trade, cultural and tourism fields,” he said.
Prime Minister Erdoğan paid a two-day official visit to Pakistan on Monday upon the invitation of his Pakistani counterpart. He was accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Economy Minister Zafer Çağlayan and Transportation Minister Binali Yıldırım, and a large number of prominent entrepreneurs and industrialists from leading Turkish companies.
On the second day of his visit, Erdoğan held a tête-à-tête with Sharif. Following the inter-delegation meetings between Turkish and Pakistani officials, cooperation agreements were signed.
After the inter-delegations meeting, Erdoğan stated that he and his Pakistani counterpart had discussed bilateral relations in detail during the third High-Level Cooperation Council (HLCC) meeting in Turkey in September, and that during their most recent meeting the two had discussed what else can be done in the political arena and air, land and sea transportation.
Stating that Turkey and Pakistan have taken important steps by signing cooperation agreements, Erdoğan stressed that the planned opening of the Yunus Emre Cultural Center and a Turkish consulate in Lahore will help boost relations between Ankara and Islamabad to a higher level.
Erdoğan said during the inter-delegations meeting that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Turkish Standards Institute (TSE) and the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), other MoUs in the fields of sports and disaster management and one Cooperation Protocol were signed between the two countries.
Erdoğan was also scheduled to meet with Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain before his departure for Ankara.
According to a joint statement released by Pakistan after Erdoğan's visit, both prime ministers agreed to conclude a Pakistan-Turkey Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) by the first quarter of 2014.
The statement also noted that Erdoğan had invited Sharif to Turkey and that the Pakistani prime minister had accepted Erdoğan's invitation.
Courtesy: Today's Zaman

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