At the invitation of the President of Ukraine, H.E. Mr. Leonid Kuchma, the President of the Republic of Turkey H.E. Mr. Süleyman Demirel paid an official visit to Ukraine on 21-23 May 1998.

H.E. the President of Turkey was accompanied by a high level delegation.
The talks between the two Sides were held in a warm and cordial atmosphere which reflected their traditionally friendly relations and highest mutual esteem.

The two Sides reviewed the rapid development of their cooperation and partnership since President Kuchma's visit to Turkey on 27-28 November 1996 and expressed their common determination to further broaden and diversify their bilateral relations to the fullest extent of its potential and also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern.

Both Sides confirming their adherence to the provisions and principles embodied in the Treaty on Friendship and Cooperation between the Republic of Turkey and Ukraine dated 4 May 1992, highlighted their profound satisfaction with the pace of the development of their bilateral ties which have turned into a major element in fostering regional stability, cooperation and prosperity and also underlined their common will to give a new impetus and add new dimensions to the existing cooperative relations so as to reach a level of constructive partnership. Cognizant of mutually beneficial nature of their relations, the two Sides agreed on the importance of expanding and revitalizing the mechanisms of consultations in order to address the issues related to bilateral relations as well as regional and international questions in a coordinated manner.

The two Sides welcomed the progress achieved in their bilateral cooperation particularly in the spheres of economy and trade and agreed that further efforts should be deployed to expand their cooperation by utilizing the dynamism and entrepreneurial skills of their businessmen.

The two sides agreed on the need to reinvigorate and to enrich their economic cooperation by increased reciprocal contractual activity and investments.

Proceeding from the conviction that trade and economic cooperation is one of the major components of Turkish Ukrainian relationship, the two Sides will continue to further promote their cooporation also in such fields as transport, energy, science, machine building, communications, metallurgy and agriculture and tourism. Both Sides decided to look into the possibilities of increasing coastal trade and express their will to further liberalize their trade relations in accordance with their respective obligations towards third countries as well as their international commitments. Turkey and Ukraine will examine the possibility of concluding of a free trade agreement which would be consistent with those obligations. Both Sides decided to further devote their attention to the activities of the Joint Economic Commission in a view to coordinating and further encouraging economic ties between the two countries.

Both sides reaffirmed their readiness to further develop the dialogue and collaboration between them on energy sector with particular emphasis on oil and natural gas transportation, oil refining and electric power. In this context both countries endeavor to cooperate in issues relating to the transportation of Caspian and Middle Eastern crude oil to international markets.

Willing to enhance their contribution to international peace and security the two Sides agree to deepen their dialogue on defence matters and to continue their cooperation in the military field at the bilateral level as well as within the framework of the successfully developing relations between NATO and Ukraine.

Being confident of the fact that terrorism, organized crime, illicit arms transfers and drug trafficking pose serious risk and threat to the security and stability of the region and thus require a comprehensive cooperation among states, the two Sides agree not to allow on their respective territories any activities, directed by any person, group or organization, against security, stability, national unity or territorial integrity of each other.

In order to implement more effectively the "Cooperation Agreement on Fight Against Crime Between the Government of the Republic of Turkey and the Government of Ukraine" signed on April 14 1994, both Sides have agreed to hold the Joint Commission Meeting, at the earliest convenience.

Expressing their belief that expansion of human contacts constitutes an important factor of the Turkish-Ukrainian partnership, both Sides will continue to promote cooperation between the two countries in the humanitarian sphere by encouraging cultural, scientific and educational exchanges between the two countries on a regular basis. They will promote establishing direct links between both countries' municipalities including development of sister-city relationship, organization of exhibitions, fairs, festivals, etc. Developing a new relationship in the humanitarian field both countries will consistently uphold democratic principles and values shared by the international community, in particular, the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms including satisfaction of cultural and spiritual needs.

During the talks between the two Presidents both Sides expressed their readiness to further broaden the bilateral legal basis of their relationship particularly in the consular field including the facilitating of the visa regime.

The two Sides will continue to take steps towards eliminating the aftermath of the Chornobyl disaster and will actively cooperate to this end.

Proceeding from the mutual resolve to strengthen the legal foundation of their cooperation, the two sides signed during the visit agreements and other documents encompassing various fields of cooperation.

Ukrainian side expressed its deep satisfaction for Turkey's increasing contribution in the resettlement of the Crimean Tatars in their ancestral lands, within the framework of the recently launched 1000-unit housing project. The Turkish side while reaffirming its commitment to complete the housing project also proposed to appropriate a portion of the Eximbank credit for projects to be carried out in Crimea which stimulate economic activity and assist Crimean Tatars in alleviating the unemployment problem presently facing them.

The two Sides reiterate their willingness to develop and deepen political cooperation between the Republic of Turkey and Ukraine within the framework of international, inter alia European and Euro-Atlantic, structures and mechanisms of cooperation.

Both Sides reaffirmed their commitments to the development of beneficial regional cooperation in the framework of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation. They express their strong conviction in this regard that the forthcoming BSEC Summit in Yalta (Ukraine) in June 1998 will contribute to the effective implementation of principles and ideas contained in the Declaration on the Black Sea Economic Cooperation signed in İstanbul in 1992. The two Sides consider BSEC to be an important factor and effective means of developing the multilateral economic cooperation which promotes processes of all-European integration. Both countries agree to maintain close contacts at all BSEC fora and to assist one another in all issues related to BSEC activities aimed at making the Black Sea region a zone of peace, stability and prosperity for all nations of the area.

Striving to promote further strengthening of confidence and security in the Black Sea region the two Sides, noting the growing cooperation between them both in economic and politico-military areas, the two Sides express their readiness to consolidate and increase their efforts to promote transparency and predictability, for good-neighbourly relations in the military field between all the Black Sea states. In this regard they welcome the forthcoming multilateral negotiations on confidence and security-building measures in the naval field in the Black Sea.

The Turkish Side expressed her support for Ukraine's initiative as regards cooperation between the Baltic and the Black Sea regions aimed at reviving a historic trade route between both areas. In this context the Republic of Turkey and Ukraine believe that the forthcoming Summit of the Baltic and Black Sea countries to be held in September 1999 in Ukraine will become a decisive contribution to the realization of this initiative.

Recognizing the irreversibility of changes in Europe in the recent years the two Sides reiterate that the new security architecture of Europe should uphold the principle of indivisibility and comprehensiveness of security and should not give rise to the emergence of new lines of division of spheres of influence or regions with different levels of security. In this respect both Side agree that no state, organization or grouping should have any superior responsibility for maintaining peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area.

The two Sides agree that the OSCE will continue to play an indispensable role in the security of Euro-Atlantic region. Both Sides will therefore work together to advance OSCE's norms and principles, based on sovereign equality, territorial integrity, inviolability of borders and indivisibility of security, towards a more prosperous, democratic and undivided Europe. Both Sides support a more active role of the OSCE in addressing new risks and challenges to security and call for a more wholehearted approach on the part of all the OSCE participating states to counter the threats of terrorism, organized crime, illegal migration, illegal or destabilizing arms trade as well as other threats of a transnational nature.

The two sides also exchanged views on disarmament and arms control issues as well as on joint efforts to strengthen confidence and security in their region. Within this context, they noted with satisfaction the agreement reached by the coastal States in the Black Sea on the Guidelines for negotiating a regional process of Confidence and Security Building Measures in the naval field and called for the early completion of these negotiations with a view to starting the implementation phase. The two sides also evaluated the current state of the ongoing negotiations in Vienna on the adaptation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe with special emphasis to the Flank Regime and decided to continue their consultations and cooperation during the adaptation process.

Emphasizing the economic and strategic importance of the Caucasus with its rich natural and human resources, the sides expressed their belief that the existence of stable, democratic and market-oriented states, secure within their borders and at peace with their neighbors have a great significance for the promotion of regional prosperity and cooperation.

The President of Turkey expressed his gratitude for the warm hospitality extended to him and his delegation during his stay in Ukraine and invited the President of Ukraine to pay an official visit to Turkey. The invitation was accepted with pleasure.