BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

28 April 2005

Turkish Parliament Welcomes Belarusian Delegation

ANKARA - Nevzat Pakdil, Parliament deputy speaker, yesterday received a Belarusian delegation chaired by Yuriy Kulakovskiy, chairman of the Belarusian National Assembly's Committee for Human Rights, National Relations, and the Media.

Speaking at the welcoming ceremony, Pakdil stated that Turkish-Belarusian relations in the areas of economics, culture, politics, and health are continuing to develop, and added that the two countries' Parliaments have also established relations at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) and NATO's Parliamentary Assembly.

Pakdil stated that Turkey will begin accession talks with the European Union in the near future and said that the both the previous and current Turkish governments had made important steps forward, and that the Turkish Parliament has made a great deal of effort towards this.

He said that Turkey is close to attaining its EU goal, and added, "Turkey is ready to share its experiences of the EU integration process with Belarus."

He reminded those present that Turkey was the first state to recognize Belarus' independence and added that following the recognition of its independent status relations between the two countries have continued to improve through contacts between embassies and the two Parliaments.

Kulakovskiy said that relations between the two parliaments are more advanced than economic relations between the two states and that this should be an indicator to businessmen. He also added that Belarus wants to benefit from Turkey's economic experience during its EU integration process.

Following the parliamentarians' meeting, the Belarusian delegation met with the chairmen of the Interparliamentary Friendship Group.

The New Anatolian

28 April 2005

Source:

http://www.turkishweekly.net/news.php?id=9155