GAZIANTEP - The seven-member Syrian delegation who works for establishment of a trade centre in Akcakoyunlu and Karkamis border regions in Gaziantep-Alleppo border region came to southeastern Gaziantep province on Friday.
The seven-member Syrian delegation headed by Aleppo deputy governor Abdulkadir Cezmati who completed their examinations about the border trade centre that would be formed in Gaziantep, visited Gaziantep Trade Chamber (GTO) Chairman Mehmet Aslan and executive board members.
Speaking during the meeting, Cezmati said that improvement of Turkey-Syria trade would be to the benefit of both countries, and in that respect he believed that Aleppo and Gaziantep would contribute positively to this process.
Recalling that Aleppo was the most important industry and trade centre of Syria, Cezmati said that ''we believe that opening of the border trade centre between Aleppo and Gaziantep will contribute to improvement of economic relations and we launch intensive efforts to this end.''
GTO Executive Board President Mehmet Aslan said that the delegations of the two countries which came together within the scope of the seventh article of the protocol signed between Gaziantep and Aleppo governors on January 11, 2004 had meetings for foundation of border trade centres.
Aslan said that the border trade centres would speed up the Turkish-Syrian trade, adding that ''a memorandum of understanding was signed between Turkish and Syrian delegations 15 days ago. In fact this memorandum came to agenda during the visit of Syrian President Bashar Al-Asad to Ankara. GTO finds this development very positive and we think that this will be to the interest of both countries. We think that border trade centres will be a new model for regional economies and we do our best for putting them into practice.''
(Öª-AY) 23.01.2004