Speaker of the Turkish Parliament, Mehmet Ali Sahin, invited Boris Gryzlov, Speaker of the State Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament, to Turkey on Monday, Anadolu Agency reported.
Sahin and Gryzlov discussed bilateral relations within the framework of the 34th general assembly of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC).
Pointing out that Turkish President Abdullah Gul's visit to Moscow in February helped draw a road map, Sahin said that, during Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's recent visit to Turkey, 20 agreements (12 of them official) were signed by Turkey and Russia.
We attach high importance to inter-parliamentary relations with Russia. The relations between our respective parliaments are at the highest level possible. We invite you, Mr. Gryzlov, to Turkey, Sahin said.
The Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) discussed two important issues (energy security and transportation) in Moscow. Turkey will assume the BSEC term presidency next fall and we will make use of the discussions taking place in Moscow this week, Sahin stressed.
Gryzlov, in his part, said that, in such meetings, the speakers of parliaments do not usually participate.
We are highly honored to witness Mr. Sahin's participation in the PABSEC meeting, Gryzlov said.
The inter-parliamentary relations with Turkey are very good. The friendship groups in our parliaments have high membership, Gryzlov noted.
Economic relations between Turkey and Russia are extremely good. Russia is Turkey's number one trade partner. Our goal is to help the trade volume reach 100 billion USD, Gryzlov said.
We attach great importance to cooperation with Turkey in the energy sector and the investments of Turkish businesspeople in Russia. There are impressive opportunities for Turkish investors in Sochi, a Russian city that will host the 2014 Winter Olympic Games, Gryzlov also said.
On 25 June 1992,the Heads of State and Government of eleven countries: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine signed in Istanbul the Summit Declaration and the Bosphorus Statement giving birth to the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC).
It came into existence as a unique and promising model of multilateral political and economic initiative aimed at fostering interaction and harmony among the Member States, as well as to ensure peace, stability and prosperity encouraging friendly and good-neighbourly relations in the Black Sea region.
