In today's press there appeared some news reporting that President Chirac has postponed his visit to Turkey scheduled for June, due to the elimination of Tigre helicopters, a French-German co-product, from Turkey's tactical reconnaissance and attack helicopter bid.

The disappointment aroused in France because of the exclusion of the Tigre helicopter, produced by the French-German Consortium Eurocopter, from Turkey's helicopter bid was communicated to us.

However, this matter has nothing to do with the timing of President Chirac's upcoming visit to Turkey in the coming months, the dates of which were not announced yet. Likewise, it is also irrelevant to establish a link between the above-mentioned bid and Turkish-French bilateral and multilateral relations. Both sides share the view that the all-encompassing multi-faceted relations and cooperation between Turkey and France are strong enough not to be influenced by this bid.

In fact, President Chirac announced in his statement to the press that Turkish President Süleyman Demirel has invited him to Turkey and that he has accepted this invitation, that Turkish and French officials were working on a mutually convenient date, that his visit to Turkey and the helicopter bid should not be mixed with each other and that perfect relations with Turkey would not be harmed by this helicopter bid.

The contacts concerning the official visit of the French President to Turkey are going on and the visit will take place on a date to be determined jointly by both sides.