MFA Press Statement: Visit by Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Mayor of the North East Community Development Council Zainul Abidin Rasheed to Ankara, Turkey, 16 - 17 April 2007

Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Mayor of the North East Community Development Council Zainul Abidin Rasheed visited Ankara, Turkey, from 16 to 17 April 2007. He was accompanied by Singapore's Non-Resident Ambassador to Turkey S Chandra Das and a trade mission. During his two day visit to Ankara, SMS Zainul Abidin Rasheed called on Turkish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Gül, Minister of State for Economy Ali Babacan, Minister of Finance Kemal Unakitan and Minister of Culture and Tourism Atilla Koç.

The Ministers noted the warm and problem-free relations between Singapore and Turkey, and the increase in exchanges between both countries over the past three years. The Ministers agreed to continue to explore opportunities for cooperation on the political, economic and cultural fronts. They also had wide-ranging discussions on international and regional issues, in particular on the situation in Iraq, the Palestinian territories and the on-going Iran nuclear crisis.

SMS Zainul Abidin Rasheed also met with the Mayor of Ankara Melih Gokcek, and visited several community-based and social programme facilities in Ankara. In addition, SMS Zainul Abidin Rasheed met with the Mayor of Istanbul Kadir Topbas while attending the Fourth Summit Conference of the Mayors of the World in Istanbul.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
17 APRIL 2007