Turkey's President Abdullah Gül said that Turkey and Kazakhstan would further improve their relations.

"The most important step we should take is to sign the agreement on upgrading our relations to strategic partnership," Gül told a joint press conference with his Kazakh counterpart Nursultan Nazarbayev in the Turkish capital of Ankara.

Gül said that this agreement was the first of its type between the Turkic speaking countries.

The Turkish president said Kazakhstan had started to be a pioneer in regional and international matters, and contribute to peace and security.

Also, Gül underlined significance of Turkey's undertaking the rotating presidency of the Asian Security Organization between 2010 and 2012, and Kazakshstan's assuming the presidency of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in 2010.

Gül said economic cooperation between Turkey and Kazakhstan had boosted so much, and expressed belief that two countries would also cooperate in natural gas.

Also, Gül presented a medal of state to Nazarbayev for his contributions to both Kazakhstan and the Turkic world.

Before the joint press conference, Gül and Nazarbayev signed the strategic partnership agreement.

Also, Turkey and Kazakhstan signed agreements on scientific and technical cooperation, environment protection, and a cooperation protocol in tourism.