Tuzmen calls on Spanish contractors to work with Turks

On an official visit to Spain with a large business delegation, State Minister for Foreign Trade Kursad Tuzmen yesterday called on Spanish contractors to make investment in league with their Turkish counterparts, and said that Turkey wants to cooperate with Spain in the construction sector. Meeting with Spanish Contractors' Association head David Taguas in Madrid, Tuzmen He said that the Turkish contracting sector made $20 billion in foreign countries last year, up from just $1.4 billion in 2002. He added that 22 of the world's 225 biggest contractor companies were Turkish. Tuzmen said that Spanish contractors could visit Turkey this fall. He added that the Turkish and Spanish contractors could jointly work in the Middle East, Gulf, Caucasus, Caspian Sea, Central Asian republics and North Africa. Taguas also said that Turkey and Spain should cooperate not only in politics but also in economic and commercial areas. Taguas said that they were making efforts to boost cooperation with Turkey, and the two countries could work in North Africa, which needs a great deal of infrastructure work. Tuzmen also said that a Spanish company would make investments worth �400 million in Turkey.