Syrian-Turkish trade relations booming

London-based al-Hayat daily published said Friday that despite the high tension in relations between Syria and Turkey, due to the military cooperation between Ankara and Tel Aviv and the current tripartite marine maneuvers, economic relations between the two countries are proceeding in the opposite direction, as value of trade between the two countries reached US $1.1 billion.

In its Friday editorial, the paper added that economic dialogue between the two countries is proceeding actively, as value of trade exchange increased from US $394 million in 1990 to US $618 million in 1996. The paper added that the trade balance has favored Damascus in recent years as the value of Syrian exports between 1995-1996 increased from US $285 million to US $310 million, excluding border exports which benefit from the Turkish Customs reduction.

The paper quoted the trade advisor at the Turkish embassy in Damascus, Hussein Barmaksir, as saying that in 1997 Syria exported commodities at a cost of US $500 million to Turkey, adding that Syrian businessmen's profits from diesel oil they import from world markets to Syrian ports and then export to Turkey and is estimated at US $70 million.

The Turkish advisor hoped to purchase Syrian phosphate and gas and the Syrian company to mark a push by Turkish companies into the Arab markets and for Damascus and Ankara to be the bridge for developing Turkey's relations with the Arab world and Syrian relations with Europe.