Turkish parliament speaker holds talks in Kazakhstan

NUR SULTAN, Kazakhstan

Turkish Parliament Speaker Mustafa Sentop on Monday met his Kazakh counterpart Nurlan Nigmatulin and Senate head Maulen Asimbaev to discuss bilateral ties.

Sentop and an accompanying delegation were welcomed by Nigmatulin in the Kazakh parliament, where the Turkish official said Ankara was the first government to recognize Kazakhstan’s independence and establish diplomatic relations.

Noting that Turkey and Kazakhstan enjoy high-level inter-parliamentary relations, Sentop said they would strive to develop the existing ties to the next level.

Commenting on Kazakhstan's transition from the Cyrillic alphabet to the Latin alphabet by 2023, Sentop said it would help the people of both the countries communicate better.

The Turkish official said he expected support from Kazakhstan in resolving issues such as granting Nur Sultan Yunus Emre Turkish Cultural Center a legal status, and strengthening the sovereign status of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) office in Kazakhstan.

In his meeting with Asimbaev, Sentop highlighted the importance of strengthening ties in the fields of commerce, education, culture, tourism and transportation as part of their strategic partnership.

*Writing by Ali Murat Alhas in Ankara