Turkey still supports, Ukraine is against independence of Kosovo

At a joint press conference in Ankara with Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu, Gul said that "relations between Kosovo and Serbia" should be based on dialogue and understanding.

"We believe that, when the time comes, Kosovo will strongly take its place in the European and Atlantic structures, NATO and the EU," Gul said, according to the Hurriyet website.

Gul said that Turkey was "proud that partnership is being considered between Kosovo and the International Monetary Fund and World Bank".

Stating that "new countries have come into existence over the last 20 years in the Balkans, and that Kosovo is the last one", Gul said that he is convinced that the "independence of every country must be respected", and that there must be work put into "improving neighborly relations based on friendship and peace".

Gul said that "stability and security in the Balkans are of importance to Turkey".

"Turkey's support for Kosovo's independence and to our efforts to offer a better future for citizens is a part of our history," Sejdiu said, adding that Turks living in Kosovo and Kosovo citizens in Turkey are the golden bridge of cooperation and friendship between the "two countries".

Sejdiu said that he hopes that Turkey will continue to support new recognitions of Kosovo and Kosovo's integration into the EU and NATO.

But, Ukraine Foreign Minister Petro Poroshenko told Komersant daily that Ukraine's stand on Kosovo is absolutely clear, there are no grounds for recognition.

"We did not recognized Kosovo's independence and the arguments are the same as with regards to Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Ukraine will never recognize independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia from Georgia, as that would constitute a violation of fundamental principles of international law", Poroshenko said.