Third Turkish-Arab forum in Istanbul this week

The Third Turkish-Arab Forum, led by Turkey's Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK), will start in Istanbul this week. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will give the opening the speech at the forum, which will also be attended by his Syrian counterpart Naji Otri, his Palestinian counterpart Salam Fayyad, and Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa. Banking and finance will be discussed at the meeting, which nearly 400 foreign investors and businessmen are expected to attend. Rifat Hisarciklioglu, chairman of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB), yesterday said he expects the meeting to do much to promote Turkish-Arab cooperation.