ANKARA - Syria will reduce its territorial waters from 35 to 12 miles while Turkey will open four new air corridors between itself and Syria, sources said on Tuesday.
Sources said that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syrian Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-Utri discussed regional and internal issues and bilateral relations in their meeting.
The same sources noted that two prime ministers agreed to enhance cooperation between two countries.
Al-Utri stated that Syria reduced its territorial waters from 35 to 12 miles in the meeting.
The sources said that two countries aimed to make use of their maritime potential.
Two prime ministers signaled that consulate services would be facilitated, and agreed that Turkey's Consulate General in Aleppo and the Consulate General that Syria would open in southern Gaziantep province would serve consulate affairs. Thus, the sources noted, Turkish and Syrian businessmen and truck drivers could more easily get visas.
The sources said that Erdogan expressed Turkey's uneasiness about Syria's controlling Turkish trucks loaded with scrap metal while the Syrian side said that those trucks were controlled against the risk of radiation.
Two countries aimed to increase their trade volume to 2 billion U.s. dollars, the sources stated.
A free trade agreement is expected to be signed between Turkey and Syria as soon as possible. Sources said that this agreement could be signed during Erdogan's visit to Damascus at the end of this month.
Ankara also asked Damascus to enable Turkish banks to open branches in Syria, the sources said.
The same sources stated that two prime ministers also discussed establishment of a Turkish-Syrian joint bank.
Sources quoted Turkish side as saying in the meeting that it would join the international tender to be opened in Syria for renovation of 200 railway cars while Syria gave the message that those railway cars could be renovated by joint investments outside the tender.
The same sources pointed out that two prime ministers also discussed forming common agricultural fields after landmines were cleared at the border.
Al-Utri invited Erdogan to Damascus and proposed him to inaugurate a stadium built in Damascus for 70,000 people together.
Syrian Prime Minister al-Utri also proposed Erdogan to bring Fenerbahce soccer team with him to Syria for a friendly match with a Syrian team.
(BRC-AÖ) 13.07.2004