Iran Eying $20 bln Trade Exchange with Turkey
News number: 880718151216:30 | 2009-10-10Economy
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8807181512

TEHRAN (FNA)- Chairman of Tehran's Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mine
(TCCIM) Yahiya Al-e Eshaq expressed the hope that the volume of annual trade
exchanges between Iran and Turkey would double in the near future.

"At present, the volume of the two countries' exchanges is over $10 billion
and we hope that the figure would double and reach $20 billion in the least
span of time possible," Al-e Eshaq said in a meeting here on Saturday with a
visiting Turkish trade delegation headed by the deputy chairman of
Istanbul's Chamber of Commerce.

Given our estimates and the two countries' capacities and potentials, Iran
and Turkey can reach the aforementioned goal even sooner than the perceived
time schedule through preparing the proper grounds.

During the meeting, also attended by the chairman of the Chamber of
Industries of the Turkish city of Eski Shahir and head of Iran-Turkey Joint
Council of Businessmen, the chamber officials of the three cities signed two
Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on cooperation to remove the obstacles
faced by the Iranian and Turkish economic activists.

Al-e Eshaq further noted that trade exchanges between Iran and Turkey have
experienced a 27 percent growth, adding that Iran's imports from Turkey have
increased by 40 percent.

The official also hailed the measures taken by Iran and Turkey to control or
minimize negative impacts of the global economic crisis on their economies.

He also urged for easing banking and monetary ties between Tehran and Ankara
as a top priority to be carried out in the first phase of expanding economic
and trade relations between Iran and Turkey.