Mr. Ahmet Davutoğlu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey met with Mr. Titus Corlatean, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania who paid an official visit to Turkey on March 13-14, 2013.

At the meetings, Foreign Ministers exchanged views on bilateral and regional relations as well as international issues. The preparations for the visit of Mr. Victor Ponda, Prime Minister of Romania to Turkey were also reviewed.

Foreign Ministers signed the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Strategic Partnership Document which was signed by the Presidents of the two countries in December 2011 and the Protocol amending the Cooperation Program in the Fields of Education, Culture and Arts, Press, Youth and Sports dated 2008.

Speaking at the joint press conference, Foreign Minister Davutoğlu emphasized the historical depth of the relations between the two countries. Mentioning that 135th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries was celebrated, Foreign Minister Davutoğlu stated that Turkey embraced Romania as its neighbor, even though the two countries did not share a land border and the two countries were the largest trading partners of each other in the Balkans.

Pointed out that consultations with Romania on developments in the Middle East and in the Balkans would continue, Foreign Minister Davutoğlu said that Romania and Turkey were of the importance in terms of the steps to be taken within the framework of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC). He also emphasized that Romania’s support for Turkey’s EU membership was welcomed.

“17 thousand Turkish citizens and more than 70 thousand Turkish-origin people living in Romania are a bridge of friendship between Turkey and Romania. During my last visit, I was pleased to meet with them in Constanta and to see them enjoying their own culture and traditions in Romania” said Foreign Minister Davutoğlu underlining the reciprocal strong political will concerning the protection of cultural sites in Romania.

The Guest Minister, within the scope of his visit, was also received by H.E. Abdullah Gül, President of Turkey and H.E. Cemil Çiçek, Speaker of Turkish Grand National Assembly.