RT President Rustam Minnikhanov held meeting with Turkish delegation

Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov held working meeting with Turkish delegation at one of four sites of Kazan Sabantui - woodland park of Lebyazhie lake.

Turkey was represented by Deputy of Great National Assembly of Turkey, Deputy head of fraction of governing party of justice and development, chairman of parliament group of friendship between Russia and Turkey Salih Kapusuz and Mayor of Istanbul Kadir Topbas. RT Deputy prime minister – minister of culture Zilya Valeeva, Director of department of external relations – Aide to RT President on international issues Timur Akulov, Chairman of RT State Council committee on culture, science, education and national issues Razil Valeev, Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin, Plenipotentiary of RT in Turkey Radik Gimatdinov presented Tatarstan.

Rustam Minnikhanov warmly received Turkish delegation and expressed hope that visiting Tatar favourite holiday “Sabantui” in the capital of Tatarstan would be interesting for Turkish delegation.

By words of head of republic, Tatarstan and Turkey have long-lasting warm relations and there’s much more to be improved. Not so long ago the foundation stones of two new big plants were laid by Turkish companies in special economic zone “Alabuga”. This means that relations between Tatarstan and Turkey have reached higher level.

RT President stressed that commodity turnover between two republics had been growing up year by year and reached 3 bln. dollars in 2008. Though it reduced in 2009 because of the crisis, the current goal is to return to pre-crisis level.

At the meeting parties discussed issues of developing Tatarstan-Turkish cooperation, inter-parliament interaction, brotherhood relations between Kazan and Istanbul, support of Tatar community in Turkey, holding of jubilee events dedicated to 125-anniversary of birthday of Gabdulla Tukai in 2011 in Turkey and construction of Tatar trade-cultural centre in Istanbul.