President Mary McAleese has reaffirmed Ireland's strong backing for Turkey's accession to EU membership.
She was speaking at a news conference on the first day of her official visit to Turkey.
Mrs McAleese had an hour of talks with Turkish President Abdullah Gul, which centred on the issue of Turkish accession to the EU.
Turkey has said its target date for EU membership is 2023, but there are many hurdles to cross before a successful accession.
However, President Gul has said it remains his country's top strategic objective.
Mrs McAleese began her day with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Ataturk Mausoleum.
The tomb is a shrine to the memory of the country's founding father Kamal Ataturk, who led Turkish forces against British, Australian and New Zealand troops at Gallipoli in WWI.
The President is due to travel to Gallipoli tomorrow for a commemoration ceremony.
She is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan later today, where she is expected to stress the links between the two countries and the new bonds that have been forged in recent years.
Some 10,000 Irish people have bought Turkish properties and Ireland is the fifth largest investor in that market.
This week's trip is the first official visit of an Irish head of state to Turkey.
