Ankara asks for erecting a Syrian gas pipeline and increase of trade
Syria-Turkey, Politics, 5/11/2000

Turkish minister of state for economic affairs Racab Onal has stressed that he had asked the Syrian oil minister Maher Jamal to build a Syrian gas pipeline to his country.

In a statement to the Lebanese daily al-Nahar issued on today, the Turkish minister who leads the Turkish trade and economic delegation to the meetings of the joint committees said that "Turkey is in need of the Syrian gas for its industry," noting that this matter was discussed with the Syrian minister Jamal who had postponed discussions in this matter until making a feasibility study and defining the reserves of Syrian gas."

Onal added that Turkey seeks to be a center for transporting natural gas and oil to world markets," especially as " erecting the Syrian gas oil from the south will complete the ring," which also includes " oil and gas pipelines from Russia and Iran."

The Turkish minister explained that the joint committee discussed means of "eliminating obstacles before producers and traders in the two countries" in order to increase trade exchange into US $ one billion from US $ 540 million, in which the trade balance is in favor of Syria where the value of Turkish exports do not exceed US $ 200 million.

The Turkish minister stressed that "Turkish products are of international standards and that it is the task of the government after it has withdrawn from the production process for the interest of the private sector is to open foreign markets for this production."

The Turkish minister summarized the needed steps as follows: "preventing double taxation, facilitating transport measures and communications linked to roads, ports and railways and aviation and amending of several laws in order to open the way before investors and protection of joint investments."

Onal added that during his meeting with the Syrian prime minister Muhammad Mustafa Miro on Tuesday, the latter, gave his instructions for immediate implementation of what the two sides agree on.

When asked about cooperation in the area of waters, the Turkish minister said that developing trade and economic cooperation will pave the way for the solution of many other greater problems.

The Turkish minister refused statements that the notable progress of bilateral relations between the two countries is based on the ground of the expected peace between Syria and Israel.

He stressed that the " decision taken by the Turkish government calls for improving its relations with the neighboring countries according to the principle advocated by 'founder of modern Turkey Mustafa Kamal Ataturk' peace in the inside and peace in the outside."

Worthy mentioning that Syria seeks to sign final agreement concerning the waters of the Euphrates and the Tigris with Turkey instead of the provisional agreement of 1997 according to which Turkey provides Syria with 500 cubic meters of waters per second.

However, observers say that the water solution between the two countries is postponed until the end of the Middle East crisis and the establishment of the Arab-Israeli peace.

Previous Stories:
  A seminar on Syrian- Turkish trade relations   (5/10/2000)
  Syrian -Turkish joint committee meets on economic trade cooperation   (5/9/2000)
  On the Syrian - Turkish talks   (5/9/2000)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search