Turkish, Thai FMs confer on bilateral relations

KUALA LUMPUR, August 4 (TNA) - Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister General Tanasak Patimapragorn has conferred with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on bilateral relations in Malaysia. At the bilateral meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's capital, on Tuesday morning, held on the sidelines of the 48th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and related forums, the Turkish foreign minister also thanked the Thai government for sending 180 Uighurs to Turkey, displaying the Thai Kingdom's policy on taking both humanitarian and human rights principles into consideration. Both sides also expressed joy for their meeting for the fourth time, showing strengthened bilateral relations between Ankara and Bangkok. The Turkish and Thai foreign ministers then discussed approaches on further promoting bilateral cooperaton between Turkey and Thailand in all areas. The Turkish foreign minister proposed that both countries hold their Joint Commission on Economic and Technical Cooperation meetings to further strengthen bilateral relations. On the occasion, the Turkish foreign minister invited his Thai counterpart to visit Turkey. Both sides also agreed on speeding up concluding Turkey-Thailand free trade agreement (FTA), while the Thai side reconfirmed that Thailand will participate in the Expo 2016, set to be held in Turkey's Antalya City in October 2016. Realising Thailand's roles in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Turkish foreign minister asked Thailand's support for boosting relations between Turkey and ASEAN. The Turkish foreign minister also thanked Thailand for sending a Thai volleyball team to participate in the U-23 Game in Ankara in mid-August 2015 and pledged that his country will take good care of the Thai team. (TNA)