ATALAY:''BUSINESS COUNCIL SHOULD BE FORMED BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES''
MUSCAT - Turkey-Oman Fourth Term Joint Economic Committee (JEC) meetings started in Oman on Sunday by meetings held between the two delegations headed by State Minister Besir Atalay and Turkey-Oman JEC Co-Chairman Mohammad Nasser al-Khusaibi.
State Minister Atalay who headed the Turkish delegation in the meetings said that he believed formation of a business council between the two countries would be beneficial, adding that ''prevention of double taxation and encouragement of investments are very important issues.''
Addressing the opening of the meeting, Al-Khusaibi said that they wanted to further improve the bilateral relations between Turkey and Oman, adding that some Turkish companies proved themselves by their price and project applications and that they wanted to know each other's capacities for cooperation.
Al-Khusaibi gave detailed information about the economic situation in Oman, noting that Oman prepared long term development plans until the year 2020 to benefit from all modern technologies in the world.
Al-Khusaibi stated that the trade volume between Turkey-Oman didn't reach the desired level despite mutual efforts, adding that they wished to improve their cooperation by benefiting from this meeting. Noting that Oman wanted to have a lasting cooperation by common investments, Al-Khusaibi stated that the two countries could work together in fields of by-industry based on oil and general services. Certain Turkish companies proved themselves by price and project applications, he said adding that both countries wanted to know each other's capacities to make cooperation.
State Minister Besir Atalay said in his part that they wished to further improve the bilateral relations, adding that ''as you know our economic cooperation is not at the sufficient level, the improvement of our cooperation and relations among our private sector institutions carry out great importance. Our private sector institutions should come together to increase their cooperation and get to know each other well. In that respect I believe that foundation of a business council between the two countries would be beneficial. I hope we will get a result at the end of this meeting. I am pleased as Turkish contractor companies get a role in development of Oman. I hope it will further develop. Completion of the legal framework of commercial and economic relations is very important for safe investment.''
Atalay said that agreements would be concluded between the two countries on Commercial Exchange and Economic Technical and Scientific Cooperation and on Cooperation in Standards, adding that certain issues would be discussed in issues of environment, agriculture, highway and new agreements would be signed. Atalay stressed that the technical delegation would take up those issues, adding ''I believe that economic, commercial relations between the two countries would gain a new momentum after JEC. I would like to stress that we are open to all sorts of cooperation offers from Oman.''
Later the technical committee started its studies. A memorandum of understanding is expected to be signed on Tuesday at the end of those meetings.
(Öª) 11.01.2004