Onboard/Ankara, Oct 10 (ANI): Stating that India has a very good relationship developing with Turkey, Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari has said that the commercial ties between the two nations are progressing in a very satisfactory fashion.
"We have a good relationship developing with Turkey. On the commercial and economic front, a good number of Indian companies are working in Turkey. The Turkish companies particularly in the infrastructure sector are working in India; they are also getting into collaboration with Indian companies. I believe the most obvious peace is the tie-up between GMR and Turkish company for the Istanbul airport," Vice President Ansari told media persons onboard on his way to Ankara.
So, I think the commercial ties are progressing in a very satisfactory fashion, not all-together balance, which is perhaps the cause for some complaint on the Turkish side, but trade relationships take a long time to balance. You have to allow that time to pass," he added.
Vice President Ansari said Turkey has been recording a rate of growth of eight to nine percent because of its vibrant economy and is now the 16th largest economy in the world.
"Turkey in recent years because of its vibrant economy has been recording a rate of growth of eight to nine percent, it is now the 16th largest economy in the world. Turkey has also started playing a more active role in the politics of its own region. I mean it sits a stride to regions, Europe on one side and the Asian landmass on the other. With Europe, they have had difficulties because their negotiations for entering the European Union are proceeding very very slowly," said Vice President Ansari.
"But Turkey has been active in West Asia, North Africa, it has played an active role in Libya, it has expressed its views somewhat candidly in regard to Syria and the Turkish Prime Minister has recently been to Cairo, where he has welcomed the changes that are taking place in that region. So, it's an area where we also have core interest and it is felt in Delhi that it would be useful to exchange notes with Turkey and see what their thinking is, share with them our thinking," he added.
When asked whether any cultural exchanges are scheduled to take place during his visit keeping in tune the cultural similarities between India and Turkey, Vice President Ansari said: "I think we are having a lot of cultural exchanges. This is nothing new, I believe the first cultural agreement was signed as early as 1952 by the then Education Minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and since then we had Turkish scholars coming to India and Indian scholars going to Turkey."
"There are people, who have written books on the Turkish national movement, we have a chair in Ankara University for Hindi. So, cultural exchanges are taking place. There is always room for injecting new vitality into them because we have moved along somewhat parallel lines. There have been a lot of similarities and commonness; one of our languages 'urdu' is very close," he added.
Vice President Ansari arrived in Ankara on a five-day visit to Turkey today, with economic ties and terrorism being high on his agenda.
Ansari will first visit Turkish capital Ankara, where he will hold delegation-level talks with Speaker of the Turkish National Assembly Camil Cicek and other lawmakers.
Ansari will also pay homage at the memorial of the founder of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in Ankara and will also visit the provinces of Konya and Nevsesir.
He will address a Business Forum at the Turkish Chamber of Businessmen and Industrialists in Istanbul.
While in Konya, Ansari will be conferred with an Honorary Doctorate for International Relations by the Mevlana University. By Praful Kumar Singh(ANI)
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