ABU DHABI // Stronger ties between Turkey and the UAE will also benefit the region and the world, officials from the two countries said yesterday.
On a state visit to the capital yesterday, the Turkish president, Abdullah Gul, called his country's relationship with the UAE "a very meaningful one".
As part of his four-day visit, the first by a Turkish president in 15 years, Mr Gul met more than a dozen students at Zayed University and watched as they spoke with students at Bilkent University in Ankara through a video link.
"This is the real relationship between our countries - people to people, younger generation to younger generation," he said.
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and the president of Zayed University, called Turkey "our brother" and pledged to "enhance the relationship, which is already very strong".
"We work together not only for the benefit of our two countries and the region, but also for the rest of the world," Sheikh Nahyan said.
"Their position is a vulnerable one, which we will remember, and due to it we will work harder to make our relationship stronger."
Earlier Mr Gul met the President, Sheikh Khalifa, at Mushrif Palace. Their talks focused on economic, commercial, cultural and tourism cooperation, the state news agency Wam reported.
Mr Gul said he hoped to double trade between the two countries to US$10 billion (Dh36.73bn).
Talks also centred on Turkey's role in maintaining regional peace and stability.
Today Mr Gul will attend the UAE-Turkish Business Forum in Dubai.
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