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Belarus, Turkey sign package of cooperation documents

"The presidents stated positive dynamics in the development of all-round cooperation between Belarus and Turkey," the communique said
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko EPA/TATYANA ZENKOVICH
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko
© EPA/TATYANA ZENKOVICH

MINSK, November 11. /TASS/. A package of documents was signed on Friday after talks between Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan who is on an official visit to Belarus.

Among the documents are a joint communique of the two presidents, a plan of actions to develop cooperation between the two countries for 2016-2017, an intergovernmental agreement on the system for promoting bilateral trade, and agreements on cooperation in the spheres of education, science and technologies, and of the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

The sides signed memorandums of understanding between the Belarusian Education Ministry and Turkey’s Council of Higher Education, and on issues of cooperation in the agricultural sector. The two countries also signed an agreement on cooperation in the area of preventing and liquidation of emergency situations, and an agreement between the Belarusian state news agency BelTA and Turkey’s Anadolu Agency.

"The presidents stated positive dynamics in the development of all-round cooperation between Belarus and Turkey and demonstrated mutual interest in further maintaining regular bilateral political dialogue at all levels, including at the top level," the presidents said in their communique.

According to the document, the sides noted new possibilities of development of trade-and-economic relations stemming from Belarus’ membership in the Eurasian Economic Union and Turkey’s membership in the customs union with the European Union.

Lukashenko resolutely condemned the attempted coup in Turkey and expressed support for the legitimate, democratically elected government of that country. The Turkish president, in turn, expressed satisfaction over Belarus’ commitment to democratic principles.

The two presidents stressed their commitment to the generally recognized norms of international law, goals and principles of the United Nations Organization, and the policy towards strengthening the central role of this organization in maintaining peace and security, in countering present-day challenges and threats, in peaceful settlement of international conflicts.

The two leaders condemned "any types of terrorism and stressed the importance of international cooperation in rebuffing international terrorism, transnational organized crime, and illegal migration."

Lukashenko and Erdogan called for closer bilateral ties and coordination and development of foreign policy cooperation, including mutual support to candidates within international organizations. The expressed interest in expanding and diversifying mutual trade, in joint search for new areas of economic cooperation, in strengthening industrial cooperation, in promoting the two counties’ products on markets of third countries.