GUL SATISFIED WITH CZECH SUPPORT FOR EU

Hurriyet
April 30 2009
Turkey

ISTANBUL – After meeting with his Czech Republic counterpart in Prague
yesterday, President Abdullah Gul expressed his satisfaction with
the support extended by President Vaclav Klaus to Turkey’s European
Union membership process.

"Turkey is determined to further improve its political, economic
and commercial relations with the Czech Republic," Gul said at the
meeting of the Turkish-Czech Business Council.

"Both Turkey and the Czech Republic have made significant economic
progress recently and are among the countries least affected by
the global crisis," Gul added. "Trade volume between Turkey and the
Czech Republic increased to $2 billion in 2008, from $260 million
in 2000. There have been especially encouraging investments in the
sectors of energy, medicine, tourism and construction."

For his part, Czech Republic President Klaus said he very selfishly
favored Turkey becoming a member of the EU because Turkey’s accession
would further strengthen both the EU and its economy.

Normalization with Armenia

President Gul meanwhile said a possible accord to normalize ties
between Turkey and Armenia would benefit Azerbaijan and stabilize
the entire Caucasus region, reported the Associated Press.

Turkey announced last week that the two countries, bitterly divided
over Ottoman-era killings of ethnic Armenians, had agreed on a road
map for normalizing relations and reaching reconciliation.