Libya's interim premier says his country takes Turkey as a model

ISTANBUL (A.A) - February 26, 2012 - Libya's interim prime minister has said his government considered Turkey as a model for his own country. "We see Turkey as a model country which has made great achievements in many areas in a very short time. And those achievements are the work of the Turkey's visionary leadership," Abd al-Rahim al-Keeb told a joint press appearance with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan after a tete-a-tete meeting in Istanbul on Saturday.  Al-Keeb thanked for Turkey's support for the Libyan state and the Libyan people, adding that Libya would never forget Turkey's stance toward the Libyan revolution. Al-Keeb said Libya was willing to increase economic relations with Turkey in every field, adding that diversification of trade ties would help forge a strategic partnership between the two countries.      The Libyan premier said his government encouraged Turkish companies to return to Libya, and he proposed to set up a joint committee to that end. Al-Keeb said his government was eager to boost cooperation with Turkey in the fields of education, health, energy, tourism as well as in financial sector.