IZMIR - Greek Defense Ministry Undersecretary Alexandros Kalafatis said on Wednesday that they exerted efforts to turn Aegean into sea of friendship and cooperation rather than one of tension.
A Greek delegation including Chios Trade Chamber Chairman Antonios Zannikos and Greek Consul in Izmir Evangelos Sekeris visited Izmir Trade Chamber (IZTO) the same day.
Speaking during the visit, Kalafatis said that Greece supported Turkey's EU process. Noting that commercial cooperation had to improve for improvement of friendship, Kalafatis said that Turkey's EU membership and the Olympic Games to be organized in Greece were two important opportunities for the two countries for cooperation.
Kalafatis said that Olympic Games were very important for promotion of the region and creating new potentials, adding that the two countries had to take a more active place in Chinese market in tourism.
Chios Trade Chamber Chairman Zannikos said in his part that they looked for ways to include Turkey into EU programmes. Zannikos said that 9 Euros of port fee was lifted when passing from Turkey to Greece, adding that they requested the Greek government to put pressure on airline companies to start flights between Athens and Izmir. He said that Aegean Lines company would try to start flights between Athens and Izmir in the first six months of 2004.
IZTO Executive Board President Ekrem Demirtas said in his part that legal impediments should be lifted for Greek banks to give credits to Turkish small and medium scale enterprises.
Demirtas said that they would organize a picnic in Chios as all IZTO members on October 22, 2003 upon the foundation anniversary of IZTO. Demirtas said that Greek chambers' presidents would come to Izmir in November to discuss cooperation plans, adding that Izmir Economy University and Chios Economy and Administration Academy would make cooperation.
Demirtas stressed that if double taxation was going to be lifted, the trade volume between the two countries could reach 2 billion dollars in two years and if transportation problem was going to be solved, the number of tourists coming to Aegean region would exceed one million.
(ÖŞ) 15.10.2003