GAZIANTEP - Gaziantep Trade Chamber (GTO) delegation, headed by Lutfullah Bilgin, Governor of southeast city of Gaziantep, met Syrian Prime Minister Naji Utri on Thursday.
Relations between Turkey and Syria were taken up during the meeting.
Utri expressed pleasure over the development in relations between the two countries and said that he was expecting the visit of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Syria impatiently.
Utri said, ''during Erdogan's visit to Syria, we will conclude the agreements on which we have reached a consensus during my visit to Ankara.''
''We will sign Free Trade Agreement which was earlier initialed. Our economic relations will further develop with this agreement,'' added Utri.
Meanwhile, Governor Bilgin said that development of relations between Turkey and Syria depends on opening to new markets in collaboration. He added, ''Gaziantep is a door for Syria which will open to the European Union (EU). On the other hand, Aleppo can be a door for Turkey opening to Arab Economic Union.''
GTO Chairman Mehmet Aslan said that they wanted Syria to open a consulate in Gaziantep. Utri said that they aimed to complete opening procedures by the end of 2004.
GTO's tour covering Syria and Lebanon will end on September 12th.
(GC-ULG) 09.09.2004