TEHRAN - State Minister Kursad Tuzmen and a delegation comprised of businessmen arrived in Tehran on Tuesday.
Speaking at Tehran's Mehrabad Airport, Tuzmen said they targeted to increase trade volume between Turkey and Iran to higher levels, stating that they would also inaugurate 3rd Tehran International Industry Fair.
Tuzmen said final shape would be given to border trade centers on which Turkey and Iran agreed, stating that, ''we want to sign preferential trade agreement between Turkey and Iran.''
Tuzmen said trade between Turkey and Iran gained an important momentum in the recent years, adding that trade volume which had been 750 million U.S. dollars in 1999, increased 1.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2002, and that it would further increase and reach 2.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2003.
Tuzmen said they targeted to present Turkish goods to Iranian markets to prevent continuation of trade deficit that was against Turkey.
Tuzmen is expected to be received by Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref-Yazdi, and meet with Minister of Roads and Transport Ahmad Khoram, Minister of Commerce Mohammad Shariat-Madari, Minister of Petroleum Bijan Namdar-Zanganeh, Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance Tahmasb Mazaheri, and Minister of Housing and Urban Development Ali Abdol-Alizadeh
Tuzmen and the accompanying delegation are expected to depart from Iran on October 2.
(AY) 30.09.2003