Wish to strengthen parliamentary cooperation, Turkish official tells German counterpart

By Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - The speaker of Turkish parliament on Tuesday expressed his desire to strengthen parliamentary cooperation between Turkey and Germany.

In a letter to his counterpart Wolfgang Schaeuble with regard to German Unity Day, Mustafa Sentop said: "It is our sincere wish to strengthen the existing friendship and cooperation between our parliaments in order to take our bilateral relations to a higher level in all dimensions and to develop the dialogue between our people."

"As I celebrate your National Day once again, I wish you and your esteemed members of the German Bundestag good health and success," he wrote.

German Unity Day, annually celebrated on Oct. 3, marks the anniversary of unification of West Germany and the former communist East Germany in 1990, a year after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

- China's national day

The Turkish parliament speaker also congratulated his Chinese counterpart on the 72nd anniversary of National Day of People's Republic of China.

"I believe that our relations based on historical friendship and cooperation between our countries will continue to develop steadily in the future," Sentop said in a letter to Li Zhanshu.

"Inter-parliamentary visits and contacts, which we can intensify with our joint efforts, will undoubtedly contribute positively to these relations," he said.

On Oct. 1, 1949 Chairman Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of China from atop Beijing's Gate of Heavenly Peace (Tian'anmen Gate). This marked the end of a bitter civil war between the Chinese government and the Chinese Communist Party under the leadership of Mao.

- Nigeria's national day

Sentop also congratulated his Nigerian counterpart on the 61st anniversary of Nigeria's independence.

Sentop, in his letter to Femi Gbajabiamila, said: "Turkey attaches importance to the development of its relations with Nigeria in every field. Inter-parliamentary visits and contacts, which we can intensify with our joint efforts, will undoubtedly contribute positively to these relations."

Nigeria gained independence from Britain on Oct. 1, 1960. It became a federal republic and a new Constitution was adopted in 1963.