WASHINGTON - Turkish State Minister Kursad Tuzmen has said that they proposed that only hig-tech products should be produced in Qualified Industrial Zones (QIZ) that were expected to be set up with the United States and stated that U.S. side considered this view positive.
Tuzmen, who is currently in Washington to attend the 23rd Annual Conference on U.S.-Turkish Relations organized by the American Turkish Council (ATC), met with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick.
After the meeting, Tuzmen told reporters that they launched a new opening on QIZ and noted that if the United States put forward its know-how and if it was combined with Turkish labor force and capital, it would be a beneficial development model for Turkey.
Tuzmen noted that any development was not recorded in textile sector for three years. He added that it would be appropriate to set up zones where only high-tech products would be produced.
Replying to a question, Tuzmen said that they did not give up our insistence on textile sector and noted that they should produce high-tech products.
Tuzmen said that he asked for support to commercial issues stemming from agreements with Customs Union and European Union (EU) in his meeting with Zoellick.
Stating that free trade agreement would be signed on April 7 with Morocco which would be the first Arab country to sign this agreement with participation of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he added that they continued preliminary studies to sign free trade agreements with Lebanon, Syria and Egypt.
(EÖ-AY) 06.04.2004