ISTANBUL - Turkish State Minister Mehmet Aydin has remarked that the trade volume between Turkey and Azerbaijan could reach 3 billion U.S. dollars in 3 years.
Turkey-Azerbaijan Joint Economic Committee (KEK) 3rd Term Meeting took place in Istanbul.
The KEK meeting was co-chaired by State Minister Mehmet Aydin on behalf of Turkey and Deputy Prime Minister Abid Serifov on behalf of Azerbaijan.
''We discussed ways to improve oil digging in Azerbaijan,'' stated Aydin.
Minister Aydin indicated that excellent ties between Turkey and Azerbaijan must be further developed. ''We must utilize our experiences and generate economic development between our countries.''
According to Aydin, Turkey and Azerbaijan have an obligation to improve brotherly ties in all sectors, especially economics. ''Turkey's negotiations with the European Union will bring a new dimension to the region,'' stressed Aydin.
Minister Aydin mentioned that the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline would be completed in 2005 and that the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum natural gas pipeline would begin in 2006.
Aydin stressed that the investments of Turkish businessmen and businesswomen in Azerbaijan have reached a total amount of more than 2 billion U.S. dollars. ''Turkey will continue to provide all assistance to the people of Nahcivan in the future.''
Meanwhile, Azerbaijan's Deputy Prime Minister Abid Serifov has told that the ties between two governments (Turkey & Azerbaijan) should be developed. ''We may be two governments, but we are actually one nation. Such good relations can only take place between two brothers. We wish to see better commercial cooperation in the near future.''
Serifov further stated that Turkey and Azerbaijan must cooperate in the energy sector, including in energy projects in third parties.
Serifov expressed that the Kars-Tbilisi railway project must be completed soon to bring dynamism to the region.