No visas to Kosovo

The agreement was signed by Kosovo Foreign Minister Skender Hyseni and his Turkish counterpart, Ali Babacan, who made the first trip to the country since Pristina declared independence from Serbia in February 2008. Like the visit, the deal was also the first of its kind since Kosovo’s independence.

"The people of Kosovo will be able to visit Turkey just with their passports, not with visas, after the agreement comes into force," Babacan was quoted as saying, by the Anatolia news agency.

The foreign ministers also signed a strategy document aiming to boost relations between the two countries. Kosovo and Turkey agreed to closely cooperate in various areas of common interest, said Hyseni after talks with Babacan. He said that Turkey had always supported Kosovo and the two countries shared common goals.

Turkey was one of the first countries to recognize Kosovo and incurred the anger of Serbia as a result. The latter recalling its ambassador in Ankara and refusing to allow the Turkish ambassador in Belgrade to take up office in a show of protest.

Babacan, who addressed the Kosovo parliament, was accompanied by a large crowd of businessmen who established a Turkish-Kosovar Business Council.