Turkish parliament head receives Kosovo's justice minister

By Alper Atalay

ANKARA (AA) - The speaker of Turkey's parliament on Tuesday received Kosovo's justice minister, vowing continued Turkish support for the young country's international recognition.

"Although Kosovo is a young country, it's in a position to set an example for many other countries in terms of democratic maturity," Mustafa Sentop said at the reception for Albulena Haxhiu.

Underlining Turkey's enduring support for Kosovo's goal of integration with Europe and Euro-Atlantic institutions, Sentop said Ankara would "continue our active work towards the recognition of Kosovo and its membership in international organizations."

Speaking on Turkey's readiness to support Kosovo's efforts on economic development, he said many Turkish-origin companies and more than 600 investors operated in Kosovo, providing roughly 10,000 jobs in the country.

For her part, Haxhiu thanked Turkey for its help and support, adding that Ankara was among the first countries to recognize Kosovar independence from Serbia. "This is so important for us," she said.