GAZIANTEP, Feb 14 (A.A) - The process which began with Customs Union agreement has changed the route of the export from Southeastern Anatolian Project (GAP) region from the Middle East countries, ''traditional market'', to the European Union (EU) countries, ''target market''.
Southeastern Anatolian Exporters' Unions (GAIB) told on Thursday A.A correspondent that the total export from the region to the Middle East countries decreased from 83.32 percent to 29.15 percent in 2001 when compared to 1992.
In the same period, the export from the region to the EU countries increased from 9.08 percent to 29.72 percent in 2001 when compared to 1992.
Gaziantep University the EU Research Center (GABAM) Director Prof. Ismail Hakki Ozsabuncuoglu said that the route change in the export from the region was an expected development.
Pointing out that the embargo which was being implemented on Iraq had a great effect on the decrease in the export from the region to the Middle East countries, Ozsabuncuoglu said, ''the embargo blocked the export to Iraq and via this country to other Middle East countries.''
He stated that following the closure of Iraqi market, the customs union process determined the route.
Ozsabuncuoglu said, ''we have Europeanized and this was an expected result. The region industrialists and exporters put their choices forward. The choice and target are accurate.''
Below is the table showing the amount of the export from the region in the last 10 years and the shares in total export to the Middle East and the EU countries.
Years Total export Shares of Middle Shares of the EU
(thousand East countries (%) countries (%)
U.S. dollars)
------ ------------- ------------------ ------------------
1992 297,004 83.32 9.08
1993 334,787 76.36 3.08
1994 427,112 71.31 5.40
1995 396,286 54.18 12.48
1996 404,538 57.53 13.96
1997 649,365 52.02 14.97
1998 605,389 39.87 19.25
1999 577,735 29.38 24.13
2000 555,762 25.07 26.33
2001 640,675 29.15 29.72