This year marks the 800th anniversary of the once mighty Mongolian Empire. Images of the warrior-ruler Genghis Khan are found everywhere in the capital Ulaan Bataar, even one engraved on a mountain overlooking the city.
Neighboring countries, Turkey and Georgia have long had relatively limited economic ties. But with economic reform now a priority for Georgia, the administration of President Mikheil Saakashvili has recognized that increased economic cooperation with Turkey is a sine qua non for Georgia's own economic development.
Earlier this month, Turkey hosted Afghan President Hamid Karzai during a two-day visit designed to strengthen ties between Ankara and Kabul. The occasion marked the first official visit by an Afghan leader since 1928, when King Amanullah Khan became the first foreign head of state to visit the young Republic of Turkey.
