Turkish PM starts working visit to Tunisia Wednesday

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan starts a two-day working and friendship visit to Tunisia on Wednesday, heading an important ministerial delegation, announced the Foreign Ministry. This visit, which comes in response to an invitation from Prime Minister Beji Caid Essebsi, is part of the "joint will to strengthen the Tunisian-Turkish fraternal and co-operation relations." A friendship and co-operation treaty will be signed on the occasion of this visit to establish, in particular, regular political consultations and set up structures allowing to bolster economic and trade relations, said the foreign ministry. The visit of the Turkish premier will provide "the opportunity to exchange views on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest and the future of the Euro-Mediterranean region," adds the Ministry. Turkey was among the first countries to have expressed support for the Tunisian Revolution and showed solidarity with the Tunisian people in this transition phase. The Head of the Turkish diplomacy was among the first personalities to visit Tunisia after the January 14 Revolution, in February. The two countries are tied with relations of brotherhood based on a common historical, cultural and civilisational legacy and choices that encourage their approach based on openness, modernity and reform, the Foreign Ministry said. Tunisia and Turkey had signed an agreement on the creation of a free-trade zone which came into force in 2005 allowing to boost trade exchanges, whose volume exceeds one billion dollars. An Association Council and a Businessmen Council convene regularly.