Macedonia seeks to boost trade ties with Turkey

Accompanied by a delegation, Macedonian State Minister Hadi Neziri yesterday held talks with senior Turkish officials in Ankara . Neziri was received by President Abdullah Gul at the Cankaya Presidential Palace, and the two had a closed-door meeting. Neziri was also received by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and met with Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and State Minister for Foreign Trade Zafer Caglayan. During his meeting with Caglayan, Neziri expressed his country's wish to improve trade ties with Turkey , citing how Turkey was the first country to recognize Macedonia 's independence. Calling Turkey the motherland of the Macedonian people, and a friendly country, Neziri said that his country is eager to boost cooperation with Turkey , and called on Turkish entrepreneurs to invest more in Balkan countries. He also said that they want to hold a Turkish-Macedonian Business Forum meeting in Turkey this fall. For his part, Caglayan stressed the importance placed by Turkey on improving ties with Macedonia , adding that efforts and mutual visits to this end will continue in the months to come. In related news, Foreign Minister Davutoglu is set to visit Serbia and Montenegro starting today. Davutoglu will pay two-day separate official visits to the two Balkan countries. Turkey 's relations with Serbia and Montenegro as well as regional and international matters will dominate Davutoglu's talks in Serbia and Montenegro , said the Foreign Ministry.