ANKARA - Culture and Tourism Minister Erkan Mumcu called on Wednesday investors to see the potential in Syria and invest in Syria.
Turkey-Syria Sixth Term Joint Tourism Commission meeting was held the same day under the leadership of Mumcu and Syrian Tourism Minister Sadallah Agha al-Qalaa.
Addressing the opening of the meeting, Culture and Tourism Minister Mumcu said that he believed the relations which started with Syria 20 years ago by the signing of the tourism cooperation agreement would gain a new dimension in the new period.
Mumcu said that they would discuss the methods of improving the relations in tourism field during the meeting, adding that ''it is not possible to estimate the tourism potential that can be formed between the two countries. The people of the two countries are ready to embrace each other.''
Mumcu said that common studies were undertaken with Syria in the field of tourism in the past, adding that the main role to be played in that regard belonged to businessmen. Mumcu said that they were ready to support the tourism activities between the two countries, adding that ''we call investors to do business in Syria. We expect taking of concrete steps in this issue during our visit to Syria next summer.''
Syrian Tourism Minister Sadallah Agha al-Qalaa said in his part that there was an increase in the number of Turkish tourists visiting Syria, adding that 500,000 Turks visited Syria in 2003. He said Syria would ease visa procedures to increase that number.
Al-Qalaa said that the framework of the common studies that would be undertaken between the two countries would be drawn during the meeting, adding that they wanted common investments to be taken.
Al Qalaa stated that the chains of hotels in Syria were not sufficient to meet the demands of increasing tourist number, adding that Syria gave priority to increasing the number of chains of hotels.
Noting that common tour programmes could also be organized between Turkey and Syria, Al Qalaa stated that tourists coming from the Far East and Europe could stay in Istanbul for few days and continue their trip with Syria.
SYRIAN PRESIDENT AL-ASAD SEPARATELY RECEIVES GUL AND BAYKAL
Syrian President Bashar al-Asad separately received on Wednesday Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal.
AL-ASAD TELEPHONES ECEVIT
Bashar Al-Asad telephoned Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader and former Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit on Wednesday.
Releasing a statement, the DSP Headquarters said, ''during the telephone conversation, President Asad expressed his pleasure with paying a visit to Turkey.''
Meanwhile, Ecevit referred to developing relations between Turkey and Syria, and expressed his wish that bilateral relations would be further improved.
(Öª-AÖ) 07.01.2004