ALEPPO - Turkish State Minister Kursad Tuzmen said on Sunday that Turkey would continue its initiatives to develop trade with Syria.
Tuzmen, who was in Aleppo, Syria for Turkey-Syria Business Partnership Seminar, departed from Aleppo when closing session of the seminar was cancelled.
Tuzmen told A.A correspondent that nobody should feel uneasiness about Turkey's efforts to develop economic relations with Syria.
Noting that Turkey attributed a special importance to develop its trade with Syria, Tuzmen said that Syria was the closest country for Turkey to sell the goods which Turkish firms in Southeast Anatolia region produced.
Tuzmen said that he believed that important results which would be beneficial for Turkey and Syria would be taken in Turkey-Syria Business Partnership Seminar. He added that nearly one thousand businessmen from Turkey and Syria participated in the seminar.
Tuzmen said that Turkey and Syria should rapidly sign a free trade agreement, adding that he would meet with Syrian officials in July to discuss the conditions of free trade agreement.
Tuzmen said that they aimed to sign free trade agreement until the end of year.
Tuzmen said that Syrian Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-Utri stated that Turkish firms would be on equal conditions with other countries regarding the participation in tenders.
Tuzmen said that Syrian side would decrease the high fees which were taken from Turkish transporters in transit passages.
(GC-AY) 30.05.2004