State Minister Bülent Arınç has stated that the government has taken important steps towards solving political problems with neighbors, improving economic ties with regional countries and eliminating obstacles to free travel among these countries, as part of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC).
Arınç was speaking at the opening ceremony of the Black Sea Business Forum on Tuesday, organized by the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Parliamentary Assembly (KEİPA), Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON) and the Eastern Black Sea Development Agency.
He said the 12 members of the Black Sea Business Forum are there in order to improve the welfare of all the people living near the Black Sea.
He said the two countries belonged to two rival camps and were opposed to each other during the Cold War era.
However, this has changed dramatically and currently Russia and Turkey have become countries that work for common goals, the minister added. “The KEİPA, which was established 17 years ago, played an important role in changing the situation between the countries,” said Arınç.
The Black Sea Business Forum has brought together 650 businessmen from 12 Black Sea countries. More than 1,800 business discussions among the participating companies took place, resulting in fruitful deals. The forum will repeat every year to reinvigorate the trade potential in the region, the forum’s organizers say
Arınç stated that they aim to be the world’s 10th largest economy by 2023, when the 100th anniversary of the republic will be celebrated. “This is Turkey’s goal and we, as the Black Sea region, should also work towards that target.
It is not easy to achieve economic goals within this region but if we work closely with our neighbors, I am pretty sure we will achieve what we set out to do,” said Arınç.
Moreover, the state minister said the Turkish government has taken important steps towards solving political problems with the neighbors, improving the economic ties with the regional countries and the removing obstacles for unrestricted travel among these countries, as part of the BSEC.
“It would be much easier for our businessmen if BSEC member countries Russia, Serbia and Albania removed their visa requirements,” said Arınç.
A huge potential
TUSKON President Rızanur Meral, in his speech, asserted that the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Council (BSECC) was the start of an organized, meaningful trade in the region and added: “Turkey conducted 15.8 percent of its exports to the countries in this region in 2009 while 21.6 percent of its imports were from these countries.
We think the trade figures, which have retreated due to the global crisis in the recent years, will rise again in the period ahead and that Turkey will increase its trade with the countries in the Black Sea basin to $100 billion per year.”
With a total of 8,350 kilometers of shoreline and covering an area of 461,000 square kilometers, the Black Sea region has the second largest energy resources in the world, after the Middle East and is the most significant energy transportation and passage corridor, Meral noted. Besides, he said the region has always been an important center of attraction between Europe and the Middle East with its rich natural resources, arable fields and developing industrial structure.
Meral further stated that the Black Sea region showed an annual growth rate of 6 percent, on average, between the years 2000-2009, which makes it the second-fastest growing region in the world after the Asia-Pacific.
He said they, as TUSKON, are working hard to improve the relationships between the Black Sea countries and to increase trade. “We think it is reasonable to repeat the Black Sea Business Forum every year since this will provide energy for the business world and help to improve economic activities between the neighboring countries,” said Meral.
The TUSKON president mentioned that 650 businessmen from Black Sea countries came together thanks to the Black Sea Business Forum. He added that there will be more than 1,800 business discussions among the participating companies after the forum.
“I hope this business forum will result in profitable business opportunities and that the businessmen in the Black Sea region will get involved in more partnerships and that this meeting will lead to a more permanent friendship between the countries,” said Meral.
03 November 2010, Wednesday
TODAY’S ZAMAN İSTANBUL
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