Turkish - Syrian Business Council Meeting

DAMASCUS (AA) - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Turkey in the recent years ranked among the first five countries in Syria's trade volume. ''Our target is to make Turkey the first trade partner of Syria,'' he noted.
     Speaking at Turkish-Syrian Business Council meeting, Erdogan said businessmen of the two countries played a very important role in improvement of relations.
     ''We are trying to further improve economic relations,'' Erdogan said.
     Stating that his government attached importance to improvement of relations with neighboring countries, Erdogan said they exerted efforts to improve relations by leaving aside the disagreements.
     Erdogan said relations between Turkey and Syria were broken off for years, stating that they were in an effort to re-build relations now.
     Erdogan said political and economic cooperation was necessary for peace and stability in the region, noting that people of the region had to pay very serious costs within history.
     Noting that Turkey and Syria had 821 million U.S. dollars trade volume, Erdogan said this figure should be increased to 2 billion U.S. dollars.
     Erdogan said the free trade agreement signed between Turkey and Syria today would constitute an example not only for Syria but for the regional countries.
     Erdogan said Turkish businessmen were successful in the tenders they undertook in Syria, stating that Syria provided visa facilities in airports and borders.
     Erdogan said his Syrian interlocutors told him that a Consulate General would be opened in southeastern city of Gaziantep soon.
     Calling on Turkish and Syrian businessmen to make joint investments in the third countries, Erdogan said Turkey and Syria would contribute to a different dynamism and peace in the region.
     Syrian Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-Utri in his speech stated that economic and trade cooperation between Turkey and Syria added strength to them, and called on the businessmen of the two countries to make joint investments.
     Al-Utri explained the laws which will facilitate investments of foreign businessmen in Syria noting that foreign investors could from now on set up companies and banks in Syria.
     Al-Utri said they wanted to set up organized industry zones in Syria, stating that they started studies to eliminate bureaucratic obstacles.
     Al-Utri said they wanted assistance from Turkey for establishment of stock exchange in Syria, noting that they would build Syrian stock exchange in 2005-2006.
     Replying to a question Erdogan said Ziraat Bankasi wanted to open a branch in Syria, yet that they were told that a branch could be opened only with 45 percent partnership.
     Erdogan said Finance Ministry will be responsible for cleaning minefields which is in border of the two countries, stating that they were planning to open this field to organic agriculture.
     Al-Utri said they would open Consulate General in Gaziantep in the first quarter of 2005.
     (AY)
2004-12-22