Ghana and Turkey sign various agreements to strengthen bond

Accra, March 24, GNA- Ghana and Turkey on Thursday signed five agreements as part of the official visit of Turskish President Abdullah Gul, to Ghana, to enhance their diplomatic and bilateral relations.

The agreements, which were signed by sector ministers of both countries, cover Bilateral Air Services, Health and Medical Sciences, Military Training and Science, Mutual Abolition of Visas for Holders of Diplomatic Passports and Memorandum of Understanding for the Establishment of Consultations on Political Mechanism. This follows a close-door tete a tete discussion between President Gul and host John Evans Atta Mills on areas of common interest, at the Osu Castle, in Accra.

The Turkish President, who arrived in Accra on Wednesday, is leading a 150-member delegation, made up of business people and investors, legislators and academicians on a three-day African tour taking him to Ghana for two days and Gabon for a day. In statements prior to, and after the discussions, both leaders expressed a strong need for the two nations to enhance their bilateral ties.

President Mills, who had lauded Turkey President for the honour done Ghana by allowing her to host him and his delegation, expressed the nation's appreciation for Turkish assistance in human resource development in the areas of Medicine, Computer Science and Business Administration.

Ghana and Turkey went into diplomatic relations sometime after Ghana's independence in 1957, and Turkey later established an embassy in Ghana, which was rather closed down for economic reasons in 1991. President Mills called for the renewal of ties between Accra and Ankara due to the changing circumstance and said the opening of a Ghana Embassy in Turkey was under consideration.

He said the visit of the Turkish President scheduled for last year could not come off due to unfair circumstances. However, the Turkish Minister of Foreign Trade, made a visit to Ghana which culminated in the organisation of a Ghana and Turkey Business Forum.

President Mills expressed the nation's gratefulness to Turkey for its interest in Ghana, adding that the high-powered delegation was an indication of the considerable interest in Ghana's development. He gave credit to Turkey for its decision to host the upcoming Fourth UN Conference on Least Developed Economies, and announced that Ghana would be represented at the meeting.

President Mills said a good combination of manpower and resources should result in a win-win situation, and stressed stronger co-operation between the two nations for mutually beneficial tangible results.

President Gul, who had already laid a wreath in memory of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's first president at the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum in Accra, and addressed the Ghanaian Legislature in Accra, invited President Mills for an official tour of Turkey.

He said Turkey was following developments in Ghana with keen interest and praised his host nation for her functioning democracy, rule of law and the practice of a market economy, and suggested a diversification in the relations between the two nations.