CHANIA - Industry and Trade Minister Ali Coskun said on Saturday that it would be for the benefit of Turkey and Greece to take lessons from the past and take steps towards future.
The Fifth Aegean Coasts of Turkey and Greek Islands Economic Summit started in Chania, Crete island of Greece.
Speaking in the opening session of the summit, Coskun said that Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and his Greek counterpart George Papandreou signed the agreement on clearing mines.
Coskun noted that politicians and statesmen were taking steps for friendship between two countries and businessmen and industrialists were laying groundwork of that friendship by improving commercial relations.
He would meet with Finance Minister to take up signing of double taxation agreement between two countries, Coskun stated.
Coskun said that Gul would visit Greece on October 21 and all issues would be discussed between two countries in that visit.
Greek Minister of National Economy and Finance Nikos Khristodoulakis said that initiative of businessmen to organize such summits had positive contributions to bilateral relations.
Khristodoulakis noted that Turkey and Greece should take place in the stability program of the Balkans.
They should increase cooperation opportunities, Khristodoulakis stated.
Khristodoulakis said that improvement of reciprocal trade was very important, adding that they should set concrete targets to develop trade.
(BRC) 27.09.2003