ISTANBUL - Following the formation of Iraq Task Force regarding the reconstruction of Iraq by the leadership of leading Dutch organization NCH, a Dutch businessmen delegation came to Istanbul within the scope of a business trip that covered Jordan, Kuwait and United Arab Emirates.
A meeting was held on ''Cooperation Opportunities in Iraq'' by the joint organization of Turkish-Iraqi Business Council and the Turkish-Dutch Business Council.
Responding to questions of journalists before the meeting, Ercument Aksoy, the Chairman of the Turkish-Iraqi Business Council said that it would be wrong to evaluate the Iraqi issue only with its military dimension.
''The thing that matters is the national interests of Turkey. Iraq is a very important arena both in the past and the future of Turkey. Turkey can show its projections and its power in Iraq. Besides we should also regard Iraq from a military perspective,'' he said.
Giving information about the work Turkish companies undertook regarding the reconstruction of Iraq, Aksoy said that recently Turkish company Akfen served food for 10,000 American soldiers and constructed a restaurant, another company namely Kayteks undertook the work of founding laundry room, repairing school and collecting garbage and Gunay construction company completed the repairing of international Baghdad Airport.
Stressing that Iraqi companies came to Turkey to take materials, and that this was important, Aksoy said Turkish companies did not directly use U.S. funds, however that this would not mean they would not be used.
Iraqi Task Force Chairman Arie Kraaijeveld said the Dutch companies thought of cooperation with the Turkish businessmen as Turkey was a neighbor of Iraq, and due to the experiences the Turkish companies have in Iraq.
Stating that it would not be right to set a figure about the dimensions of business volume, Kraaijeveld said the Dutch delegation would visit Jordan, Kuwait, and United Arab Emirates from now on.
Turkish-Dutch Business Council Chairman Zekeriya Yildirim said they were searching for new business facilities in the region, and that trade potential between Turkey and the Netherlands lied under the basis of this cooperation.
Yildirim said trade volume between the two countries reached 2,5 billion U.S. dollars, and that the Netherlands was one of the countries which made the most investments to Turkey. He said the target of the meeting was to further improve current cooperation.
(Öª-AY) 28.08.2003