Turkish President Abdullah Gul on Monday started a three-day state visit to Austria to strengthen economic cooperation with Austria and deepen political mutual trust, Xinhua reported.
Austrian President Heinz Fischer held talks with his visiting Turkish counterpart behind closed doors. The two leaders signed a protocol for the seventh session of Austria-Turkey Mixed Economic Commission.
Gul also met President of Austrian National Assembly Barbara Prammer and Vienna Mayor Michael Haeupl on the same day.
According to the visiting schedule, Gul will also attend the Austria-Turkey Economic Forum and meet representatives of Turkish associations in Austria on Tuesday.
As a returning visit after Austrian President Fischer paid a state visit to Turkey in May, 2008, Gul's visit also aimed to find out possible solutions to the problem of Turkey's population integrating to the Austrian society, in addition to strengthen mutual cooperation in the fields of economy and Turkey's access to the EU.
Due to historical reasons, residents with Turkish immigration backgrounds are the largest foreign population in Austria. As the difference in religion, culture and other aspects, how to promote the integration of Turkish population in Austria had become a hard issue for Austria.
Turkish ambassador to Austria was blamed by Austrians for his statement that Austria acted in haste in its immigrant integration policy.