Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (L) meets with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in Beirut, Lebanon, on Nov. 16, 2021. (Xinhua/Bila Jawich)
BEIRUT, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Foreign ministers of Lebanon and Turkey on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to boost bilateral cooperation, the National News Agency reported.
The MoU was signed by Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib and his visiting Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, who arrived a day earlier in Lebanon.
They told a joint press conference that the two countries are preparing to sign more agreements covering other fields.
Bou Habib said that his country aims to strengthen trade ties with Turkey in a way that would benefit both sides.
Cavusoglu said his visit to Lebanon aims to reiterate Turkey's support for the country.
The Turkish foreign minister said the meeting also touched upon the cooperation potential in the tourism and energy fields in addition to exploring ways to solve the Syrian refugee crisis which has affected both countries.
Cavusoglu expressed his hope that Lebanon will succeed in solving its diplomatic crisis with the Gulf countries through dialogue and mutual respect.
Cavusoglu also met with Lebanese President Michel Aoun, and offered Turkey's help to intermediate in the hope of solving the diplomatic row.
He conveyed Aoun a message of support from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, "assuring his keenness to boost Turkey's ties with Lebanon at all levels."
President Aoun thanked Turkey for its humanitarian and military support for Lebanon, calling upon Turkey to assist Lebanon in securing a safe return of Syrian refugees to their homeland. ■
