ANKARA - The memorandum of understanding signed at the end of the Turkish-Israeli Joint Economic Commission (JEC) Second Term Meeting in Ankara was a ''victory'', Israeli First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Communications, Labor, Industry and Trade Ehud Olmert said on Thursday.
''We understand that this event is a turning point when our bilateral trade volume reaches five billion dollars three years later,'' he said.
The Turkish-Israeli Second Term JEC Meeting's Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Turkish Agriculture and Rural Affairs Minister Sami Guclu and Olmert.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Olmert said that this ceremony was a great victory and he believed this victory would strengthen relations between Turkey and Israel.
''How can you know that this ceremony is actually an important turning point? It is very easy, when we see that our bilateral trade volume has reached five billion U.S. dollars when Mr. Guclu and I meet again in Turkey or Israel three years later and when we see that we have put all of the southeastern Anatolia projects into practice in this period,'' Olmert added.
Meanwhile, Sami Guclu said that the memorandum of understanding completed the legal basis for enhancement of bilateral economic and commercial relations.
''Turkey is determined and willing to bring its commercial and economic relations with all countries in the Middle East to the highest level, believing that this also serves increase in regional prosperity and settlement of lasting peace. We assure you that Turkey will exert every possible effort with this objective. We believe that also Israel will display the same efforts,'' he said.
(MS-AÖ) 15.07.2004