IZMIR - Ekrem Demirtas, the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) Trade Chambers Council Chairman and Izmir Trade Chamber Executive Board Chairman Ekrem Demirtas said on Monday that ending double taxation between Turkey and Greece would increase the bilateral trade volume to 2 billion dollars in two years.
Speaking to A.A correspondent, Demirtas said that ending double taxation which prevented the trade between the two countries was a pleasing development.
Noting that Greek Finance Minister would come to Istanbul on December 1 and the agreement would be signed between the ministers of the two countries, Demirtas said that ''Greece which was earlier unwilling, gave good signals during the Crete summit held last month about preventing double taxation and other issues. We also took promises from the other side about decreasing the customs taxes and ending quotas. The trade between the two countries will rapidly increase.''
Demirtas said that Greek banks wanted to give credits to Turkish companies and that they had expectation from Turkish Foreign Ministry and Finance Ministry about the issue, adding that ''the attitude of Finance Minister Kemal Unakıtan is positive, I believe that this problem will also be sorted out when the agreement on preventing double taxation is made on December 1.''
Demirtas stated that Greece went through an intensive preparation period for the Olympic games to be held next year, adding that Turkey could meet equipment, materials and manpower needs.
Demirtas noted that they proposed a project to Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul which could be undertaken by non-governmental organizations of the two countries in order to show that there is friendship in Aegean sea. ''Let's form a mobile hospital and first aid-rescue ship by taking one ship each from Naval Forces of the two countries. Let's show the whole world that the hostility in Aegean ended,'' he said.
(ÖŞ-AÖ) 27.10.2003