Eurasian economic summit begins

The three-day 11th Eurasian Economic Summit yesterday started in Istanbul. Speaking at the meeting, Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan said Turkey is the most important energy corridor for Eurasia and stressed the importance of the region for Turkey. Also addressing the meeting, Istanbul Chamber of Commerce head Murat Yalcıntas and said that Turkey's EU accession bid should have a Eurasian dimension. Arguing that the process of globalization was making the world's borders gradually disappear, he added, "No country can develop in isolation from the rest of the world." US Ambassador to Ankara Ross Wilson also spoke at the meeting, saying that US investors hope to cooperate with Turkey in the area of nuclear energy. Touching on Iraq's natural gas reserves, Wilson said, "The US wants to strengthen Turkey's ties with Iraq."