Today at noon in the Kadriorg Presidential Palace, president Meri received the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkey Ali Nazim Belger, who came to present his credentials.

The Ambassador greeted the president of Estonia and the people of Estonia on behalf of the President of Turkey Ahmet Necdet Sezer and recalled the contacts between the two states that have become very frequent.

President Meri said that Turkey is the southern bastion of NATO and therefore an important co-operation partner for Estonia as a state that prepares to join NATO. The President thanked Turkey for finding the possibility to train two officers of the Estonian Regular Armed Forces in Turkey. According to president Meri, Estonia is delighted that in December, the European Union made the decision to include Turkey in the European Union in the future. President Meri reacalled both the good co-operation with the leaders of Turkey as well as the warmth with which Estonians have been received in Turkey and admitted that unfortunately, Estonia was not very well known there. The President also mentioned the willingness of Estonians to support the liquidation of the consequences of the earthquake in Turkey.

At the meeting with the President, Ambassador Ali Nazim Belger said that Turkey has made the political decision to restore its embassy in Tallinn and in all probability, this will happen in the beginning of 2001. Then the Ambassador of Turkey will represent its state in Tallinn, not in Vilnius as it is now, and he will be the last Ambassador of Turkey who does not reside in Tallinn.

President Meri gave the Ambassador a greeting letter to President Ahmet Necdet Sezer where he congratulated him for stepping into his office. At the meeting, the Ambassador and the President also discussed the need to intensify the relationships of Estonia and Turkey through cultural contacts.


Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, May 18, 2000

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