Iran, Turkey hold joint trade meeting

Participating Turkish Minister of State for Trade Affairs Korshad Tuzman, referred to the slow growth of Tehran-Ankara trade ties and said that making changes in the custom regulations is required for boosting the economic relations and facilitating trade between the two countries.

Meanwhile, he called signing the agreement on mutual support of the foreign investment attraction as well as removing double taxation as effective tools in promoting the bilateral economic ties. “The ratification of this law has increased investment by the foreign companies in Iran.”

He expressed hope that Iran-Turkey volume of trade exchanges will hit $4b in 2005, stating that if the current trade obstacles are removed, the exchanges will reach $10b.

On his part, Alinaqi Khamushi, the chairman of Iran’s Chamber of Commerce described the future of Tehran-Ankara economic ties as positive and called for more activities of Iran-Turkey Joint Council.

He noted that no significant effort has been so far made to remove the current obstacles.

Despite the regulations required for investment, the chairman says the Iranian and Turkish companies face governmental bureaucracy when making decisions.

“The tariff and non-tariff barriers in the trade between the two countries are not compatible with their macro economic policies”, Khamushi opined.

The chairman named Iran and Turkey membership in Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), D8, as well as building the free trade zones in both countries as effective tools for promoting the relations.

He named the gas transfer pipeline and Iran’s electricity lines to Turkey and Europe as Iran-Turkey economic commonalities, noting the economic commonalities have prevented the negative consequences of the regional political issues on the two countries’ ties.

He also described the activities of the Turkish traders of the private sector in Iran especially in southern Persian Gulf as well as the Iranians’ foreign investment of $800b as the economic potentialities of Iran and Turkey.

Commerce Minister calls for Iran-Turkey expansion of ties

Iran’s Minister of Commerce Mohammad Shariatmadari, attending Iran-Turkey joint trade meeting, called for expansion and strengthening of the current bilateral ties between the two countries.

“Strengthening Tehran-Ankara mutual ties should be in line with the national interests of the two countries”, the minister stressed.

He also said that the policy of developing Iran’s trade ties with the regional countries has been emphasized in the country’s 20-year Development Document in which a special position has been considered for Turkey.

An agreement has been signed between the two countries for establishing the border trade centers. “The list of decreasing tariff on the industrial and agricultural commodities has been exchanged between the two countries to make an agreement of trade preferential.”

He put Iran’s non-oil exports to Turkey as much as $172m in 2004 against $728m imports form the Asian-European country. He also said Iran’s oil exports to Turkey stands at $1.7m.

Iran-Turkey trade exchanges hit $5bn 

Bozkurt Aran, Turkey’s ambassador to Iran said that due to the agreement made between Iranian and Turkish officials, the previous $2.8bn volume of trade ties will be increased to $5b.

The ambassador considered warm welcome of Turkey’s exhibition train by Iran as the symbol of the deep-rooted relations between the two countries. He also called for expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tehran and Ankara.

Iran-Turkey bilateral cooperation stressed

Ali Usman Olosoiu, head of Iran-Turkey Trade Council on Monday paid a visit to Mohammad-Ali Sobhanallahi, the governor-general of East Azarbaijan Province.

Pointing out to Iran’s tourism potentialities, he called for boosting cooperation in industry and tourism as well as increasing the trade volume.

On his part, Sobhanallahi referred to the potentialities of the two countries and stressed the mutual cooperation.

He described the activities of Iran-Turkey Trade Council as an effective factor in developing the relations, saying, “The private sectors in this council should make more significant steps in this regard.” 

FK/MA

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MNA