ANKARA - State Minister Kursad Tuzmen said on Sunday, ''2004 will be the golden year of Turkish-Russian economic and commercial relations. To this end, we will do our best.''
Holding a press conference prior to his departure for Palermo, Italy, to attend the Third Europe-Mediterranean Trade Ministers Meeting, Tuzmen said that he would pay a visit to Russia after Italy.
''During our meeting with Russian Property Relations Minister and Turkey-Russia Joint Economic Commission Co-Chairman Farit Gazizullin, economic and commercial relations between Turkey and Russia will be taken up in detail. Our trade volume with Russia in 2002 was about 5 billion U.S. dollars. This amount further increases when we include shuttle trade. Trade deficit in our bilateral trade was 2.8 billion U.S. dollars against Turkey. We observe that our commercial relations have been further developing in the first four months of 2004. We expect our trade volume to increase up to 6.5 billion U.S. dollars till the end of the year. However, our trade should increase in a balanced way. I believe that we can balance our commercial relations and increase our trade volume up to 10 billion U.S. dollars in the next two years,'' he told reporters.
Noting that legal ground of bilateral relations with Russia should be re-arranged as soon as possible, Tuzmen said, ''we target to sign partnership and cooperation agreement in trade and economy and optional trade and free trade agreement with Russia.''
Describing Russia as one of the biggest partners of Turkey, Tuzmen said, ''it is natural to experience some problems in such multi-dimensional relations. I believe that problems in the Blue Stream Project will be overcome soon.''
Recalling that he would attend opening of the Sixth International Leather and Fur Fair ''LeShow'' during his visit to Russia, Tuzmen said, ''a total of 200 Turkish firms will take part in the fair. This fair will make an important contribution to promotion of Turkish firms and products in Russia.''
(UK-MS) 06.07.2003