TEHRAN - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan Thursday launched an appeal to Iranian businessmen inviting them to invest in Turkey.
Delivering a speech at the meeting of the Turkish-Iranian Business Forum, Erdogan said that in today's world it was not possible to stop the globalization and therefore it was important for countries to make good use of this process.
Informing participants about Turkish economy, Erdogan stated that Turkey had taken significant steps in political area, as well. He said that Turkish parliament had adopted and put into force comprehensive legal amendments in areas such as fundamental rights and liberties, democracy, rule of law and human rights.
-IRAN WILL BE EU'S NEIGHBOR-
Erdogan went on saying, ''our country aimed to meet not only necessary criteria for EU (European Union) membership but also expectations of Turkish people to become a modern society. Thus, Turkish government has met what was required for EU membership and responded to Turkish people's demand to have a modern democracy based on human rights and the rule of law. Iran will be a neighbor to EU, when Turkey becomes an EU member.''
''We are pleased to see that Turkey's economic and political relations with regional countries are being improved on the basis of mutual confidence and cooperation. In this context, our relations with Iran have a particular importance,'' Erdogan said.
Erdogan stressed that Turkey and Iran were two neighboring countries living in peace for centuries and playing a major role in destiny of the region.
''Economic relationship between two countries should be increased'', Erdogan stated.
He noted that Iran was Turkey's door opening to the east, and Turkey was Iran's door opening to the west, and asked two countries to strengthen their bilateral economic and commercial relations.
-I INVITE IRANIAN BUSINESSMEN TO TURKEY-
Erdogan went on to say: ''Iran's suitable environment and initiatives undertaken by its government to settle free market economy, will help Turkish businessmen to realize more projects in this country. On the other hand, I invite Iranian businessmen to come to Turkey. Turkey is ranked third among countries making direct foreign investments in Iran in 2003. It is possible for us to reach the top, thanks to the projects to be completed within 2004. In parallel with our natural gas purchases from Iran, we expect Iran to import more goods from Turkey.''
Underlining the role played by the private sector to rise the trade volume between two countries, Erdogan said, ''we, as officials of two countries, should lift all obstacles before businessmen.''
On the other hand, Mohammad Reza Aref, the Iranian First Vice President, said that Turkey's oil and natural gas need had increased, and Iran had the potential to meet this need.
Aref added that two countries continued negotiating on natural gas issue.
(BRC-ULG) 29.07.2004