DAMASCUS - Syrian government reduced travel tax for its citizens travelling to Turkey to 11 USD.
Syrian Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdallah al-Dardari and Turkish State Minister Kursad Tuzmen delivered closing speeches at the Turkish-Syrian Business Forum in Damascus.
"We are determined to develop relations with Turkey. It is to the benefit of Syria to develop ties with Turkey. I understand that some Turkish companies face difficulties in Syria. However, please rest assured that I will solve all the problems of Turkish companies doing business in Syria. And, later on, I will inform the Turkish authorities," al-Dardari stressed.
-"PROBLEMS DECREASED, TRADE INCREASED"-
State Minister Tuzmen indicated that in the past there were many problems between Turkey and Syria and the trade volume was very low.
"Today, the problems with Syria decreased while the trade relations with this country increased," Tuzmen said.
"Our trade volume with Syria increased by 70 percent in 2008 when compared to the previous year. We plan to reach a trade volume of two billion USD with Syria by the end of 2008," Tuzmen said.
-CONTRACT WORTH 314 MLN USD-
Following the forum, Syrian Dirimland and Turkish Alp and Aksiyon Group companies signed a contract worth 314 million USD.
Based on the contract, the Turkish firms will construct residential units, hotels, tourism facilities and shopping malls in Syria. All construction will be completed in 36 months.
-SYRIAN SUPPORT TO TURKISH TOURISM-
As part of the Damascus forum, Tuzmen met Syrian Finance Minister Muhammad al-Husayn. Tuzmen and al-Husayn discussed economic issues pertaining to the two countries.
"We pay high attention to developing relations with Turkey. We have reduced the travel tax for Syrian citizens travelling to Turkey to 11 USD. Syrian citizens travelling to other neighbors of Syria must pay higher travel taxes. Following our decision to reduce the travel tax, the number of Syrians visiting Turkey rose sharply," al-Husayn stressed.
"We are presently working on making the exchange of goods and people with Turkey much easier," al-Husayn also said.
(SOL-MS)