On Tuesday, Volodymyr Lytvyn,
Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, met Huseyin
Avni Mutlu, Governor of Istanbul, within the official visit of the
parliamentary delegation to the Republic of Turkey.
In the beginning of the meeting, V.Lytvyn expressed his delight with Istanbul and its historical center, "I am enchanted by the city. It seems to be replete with history; it is in the air and inspires for creativity and life."
The Governor attached great importance to the development of bilateral relations between Ukraine and Turkey. He stated, "I expect the visit of the Ukrainian delegation to foster the bilateral relations."
The Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine informed the Governor about the fruitful high-level dialogue held the previous day. According to him, there conditions for the visit of the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Ukraine have been arranged. V.Lytvyn expects that "several important documents" will be signed during this visit to achieve new standards of cooperation.
The Head of the Parliament singled out regional cooperation, especially with Odesa region, as a key area of cooperation. He appreciated the efforts of Turkey to preserve the environmental conditions of the Black Sea and reach sustainable economic growth. He declared, "Both Turkey and Ukraine can become leaders in the Black Sea region." It is also important in terms of security.
V.Lytvyn stated that Ukraine expected a rapid settlement of the issue on the transport corridors.
The Governor declared, "The Turkish party is willing to boost fruitful inter-regional cooperation." He is willing to launch several joint projects, including the youth initiatives.
V.Lytvyn responded, "The dialogue develops, so it should stake on the youth." He supported the Governor´s initiative, and
expressed his gratitude for the care after the children who suffered the
consequences of Chornobyl disaster. The Head of the Parliament hopes that children
recreation projects will continue.
Dwelling upon the development of business relations with Turkey, the Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine stressed that "Ukrainian business eagerly enters Turkey." He suggested exchanging "trading companies", providing them with legal assistance.
According to V.Lytvyn, 450 Turkish businessmen, primarily from Istanbul, are going to accompany the Prime Minister of Turkey on his visit to Ukraine. "They will know Ukraine better, while Ukraine will become more familiar with Turkey," V.Lytvyn summed up.