Turkish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki reiterated on Wednesday their joint will to fight terrorism.

Speaking at a joint press conference after bilateral talks, Gul said that they discussed cooperation in security matters and reaffirmed the necessity to make joint efforts to combat terrorism.

Both Turkey and Iran attach importance to the issue of counterterrorism and relevant departments of the two countries will maintain necessary contacts on this matter, said Gul.

Gul noted that Iran was among the countries which have outlawed the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) as a terrorist organization.

Mottaki said that he came to Ankara to convey the new Iranian government's message for furthering the development of relations between the two countries.

Mottaki, who arrived here Wednesday for a two-day working visit, will meet Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc on Thursday.

Source: Xinhua