ISTANBUL, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- The presidents of Türkiye and Montenegro on Friday discussed bilateral and regional cooperation and pledged to boost ties in Istanbul.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a joint press conference with his Montenegrin counterpart Milo Djukanovic that the two countries share a special bond and there are over 150,000 Turkish citizens with Montenegrin roots.
"Relations between Türkiye and Montenegro are at the highest level," Erdogan stressed.
The trade volume between the two countries reached a record 182 million U.S. dollars, increasing by 49 percent in the first 11 months of 2022 compared to the same period last year, said the Turkish leader.
Erdogan noted that Türkiye fully encourages and supports Montenegro's bid to join the European Union (EU).
"We care very much about the stability and economic development of southeast Europe," he said, noting that Montenegro is an "important part" of the Balkans and Europe and makes important contributions to peace and stability.
For his part, Djukanovic said the two countries should tap the potential in a wide range of areas, including economy and defense.
Montenegro applied for EU membership in 2008 and was granted candidate status in December 2010. ■
