Turkish, Qatari Central Banks Sign Cooperation Pact

By Gokhan ErgocunANKARA (AA) - The central banks of Turkey and Qatar have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop bilateral cooperation in Qatar's capital Doha, the Turkish Central Bank announced on Thursday.The pact was signed by Murat Cetinkaya, the Turkish bank governor, and Sheikh Abdulla Bin Saoud Al-Thani, the Qatari governor, under the auspices of visiting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Turkey's bank said in a written statement.The bank stressed that under the pact, there are plans to organize joint training programs, conferences, seminars, workshops, temporary appointment programs, and mutual study visits.The Turkish Central Bank signs such pacts "with foreign central banks in the framework of its strategic objective of improving international relations by developing bilateral relations," the bank stated.To date the bank has signed memoranda of understanding with 25 foreign central banks, it said.As part of Erdogan's visit to Qatar, agreements were also signed in a variety of areas, including tourism, law, meteorology, agriculture, food, media, science, and humanitarian aid.Turkey backs Qatar in the Gulf crisis that was triggered in June when Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the U.A.E., and Bahrain cut diplomatic and trade ties with Qatar.The four states accuse Qatar of supporting terrorist groups -- allegations Doha denies, describing the embargo as a breach of its national sovereignty. -