ANKARA - Syrian Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-Utri said on Tuesday that two billion U.S. dollars of trade volume between Turkey and Syria was not a dream in the near future.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and al-Utri, who is paying an official visit to Turkey, held a joint press conference following their meeting.
Al-Utri said that he and Erdogan agreed to enhance economic cooperation in their meeting.
He and Erdogan agreed to cooperate in energy, natural gas and electricity and make joint agricultural investments, al-Utri noted.
Al-Utri stated that he and Erdogan both thought that earlier signed agreements should be ratified and put into practice as soon as possible, and agreements which would help economic cooperation should be signed soon.
He and Erdogan were of the same opinion that there should be comprehensive, lasting and fair peace in the Middle East, al-Utri noted.
Al-Utri said that it was obvious that the international community did not approve some behaviors of Israel and listed them as, ''Israel's not respecting the decisions of international organizations, its using extreme force and staging terrorist activities, its hostile behaviors towards unarmed Palestinian citizens, and continuation of construction of racist and separatist wall.''
His country appreciated Erdogan and Turkish government's ''just and principled'' attitude towards regional issues, particularly the Palestinian issue, al-Utri stated.
Al-Utri claimed that Israel blocked the peace process consciously, and said that ''Israel wanted to gain time on purpose, and did not want peace.''
Israel should return to its borders before June 4th, 1967, and Palestinians should found their state, the capital of which was Jerusalem, for a lasting peace in the region, al-Utri stressed.
Al-Utri said that they also discussed Iraq's future in their meeting and noted that ''everybody should refrain from behaviors which would divide Iraq in order to ensure Iraq's unity, solidarity and peace.''
The interim government of Iraq should be supported, al-Utri pointed out.
Al-Utri said that withdrawal of the occupier forces from Iraq as soon as possible would help restore Iraq's security.
He and Erdogan shared same views that ''if reforms were made in the region taking into consideration expectations of regional people, they would be more lasting'', al-Utri noted.
Al-Utri said that his visit ''served its aim'', and stated that coming days would be days when two countries started to implement the decisions they had taken, and invited Erdogan to his country.
Two agreements were signed before the joint press conference of Erdogan and al-Utri. One of these agreements was on air transportation and air services, and the other was on cooperation in highways and bridges.
(BRC-AÖ) 13.07.2004