Syrian -Turkish joint committee meets on economic trade cooperation
Under the chairmanship of Syrian Minister of the Economy and Foreign Trade Muhammad al-Imadi and Turkish Minister of State for Economic Affairs Recep Onal, the joint Syrian- Turkish committee on trade, technical, scientific and economic cooperation started on Monday in Damascus its deliberations at the central bank.
As for Syrian-Turkish trade relations, the Turkish minister stressed his country's desire to consolidate the relations in all domains between the two countries. He stated that the volume of trade exchange between the two countries, which reached US $617.5 million in 1999, has not reflected the volume of the available possibilities in the two countries.
Later in the day, the technical subcommittees in different fields to form the final formula of agreements due to be submitted to the committee were formed.
The submitted agreements include the agreements on encouraging and protecting investments, avoiding double taxation, forming a Syrian- Turkish business council, following up on issues relating to facilitating air, maritime and land transportation and cooperation in the area of health, culture, communications and tourism.
These agreements are due to be signed tomorrow, after the committees are to have met.
Earlier in the day, the two ministers opened the Turkish trade industrial exhibition at the Damascus international fairgrounds with the participation of a large delegation of Turkish businessmen.
Taking part in this five-day exhibition are 70 Turkish trade and industrial companies.
On Monday earlier in the day, Onal arrived in Damascus, leading a huge Turkish economic delegation representing businessmen and several mayors of Turkish provinces.
Onal, who was welcomed by al-Imadi, indicated in an arrival statement to SANA the historical ties between Syria and Turkey and the kinship ties between the two countries.
He added that despite all these ties between Syria and Turkey, "Cooperation has not yet reached the optimum level," saying that by convening these talks, the Turkish delegation will hold in Damascus a new phase of trade and economic relations between Syria and Turkey will come out. He added that thanks to the talks joint benefits for the interests of the two countries will be attained.
He explained that during this visit three activities will be held: the economic committee between the two countries, joining businessmen of both sides from both the private and public sectors and the opening of the Turkish exports industries exposition to make the Syrian consumer familiar with these products.