Turkey, Costa Rica eye better trade, political ties
November 26th, 2009 | by admin |Turkish and Costa Rican leaders said Wednesday the two countries intend to sign a free trade agreement to boost bilateral economic relations and also enhance political ties, Turkish media reported.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul told a joint press conference with his Costa Rican counterpart Oscar Arias that Turkey wants to sign a free trade agreement soon with Costa Rica, which has a sound economy with increasing foreign investment, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.
Gul said Turkey has seen great improvement in economic, political, military and cultural ties with Latin American countries “as part of its multidimensional and comprehensive foreign policy,” according to the report.
It said the two countries have signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a political consultation mechanism between their foreign ministries.
Arias said he was happy to talk about a free trade agreement with Turkey, noting that his country plans to open an embassy in the Turkish capital Ankara in 2011.
Arias, who is in Turkey this week for a visit upon an invitation by Gul, is the first Costa Rican president to pay an official visit to Turkey. He will conclude his visit on Thursday.
Costa Rica’s Arias awarded honorary doctorate in Turkey
A Turkish university honored Costa Rica’s President Oscar Arias with an honorary doctorate on Friday.
Istanbul’s Bahcesehir University decorated Arias with honorary doctorate for his contributions to peace.
The Costa Rican president received the title at a ceremony during his formal visit to Turkey at the invitation of Turkish President Abdullah Gul.
Arias told the ceremony that nearly 1.5 trillion USD was paid globally for armament every year instead of education and health, adding that his country abolished its army and allocated military funds for education and health services.
He also urged people to elect leaders who could see real needs of their countries.
Arias won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for his contributions to lasting peace in Central America. He has received honorary doctorate titles from almost 50 universities including Harvard and Princeton.
