Turkey-Switzerland marks 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations

President Abdullah Gul and his visiting Swiss counterpart Pascal Couchepin yesterday attended a ceremony at a historical museum in Ankara along with other high level Turkish and foreign officials as part of celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of Turkish-Swiss diplomatic relations. Speaking at the ceremony, Couchepin said that Switzerland considered Turkey a strategic partner, and expressed his hope that the cooperation between the two countries would continue. Pointing to his gladness about signing the Treaty of Lausanne that the boundaries of modern Turkey were recognized through, Couchepin underlined that symbols are also important for ties between the two countries. Couchepin said that he brought the table, on which the Treaty of Lausanne was signed, from his country to give as a gift to Turkey. For his part, Gul characterized the table morally "important", and said that this table will be displayed the best way.