Caglayan: "Turkey will switch to an individual country-oriented foreign trade approach"

Speaking to Hurriyet daily yesterday, State Minister for Foreign Trade Zafer Caglayan discussed ministry plans for a restructuring of Turkey's handling of trade relations across the world. Stating that world trade would fall $4 trillion due to the global economic crisis, Caglayan said, "In light of this, we will adopt a target-oriented foreign trade approach based on the unique features of each country worldwide to improve Turkey's exports by diversifying foreign trade markets." Stressing that each individual country should be carefully examined to boost positive aspects of bilateral trade, Caglayan said they would establish country desks within the ministry to focus on the distinguishing features of each individual country. Caglayan also said his ministry would outsource a number of foreign trade services such as research in target countries, data compilation and processing, welcoming foreign businesspeople, and helping them meet their Turkish counterparts, adding that they would hire qualified staff from outside the ministry, making performance-based employment contracts with them. Citing Turkey's improved trade ties with Iraq and Syria, Caglayan said that Turkish firms could get a big slice of Iraq's huge infrastructure investments thanks to the hard work of foreign trade consultancy firms. Turkey places great importance on high-level strategic cooperation with Iraq, Caglayan said, adding that Turkey and Iraq have plans to establish a common industrial zone in their shared border area. Through free trade agreements, Turkey, Iraq and Syria will become a single economic zone, Caglayan said. Caglayan also talked about his ministry's plans for better cooperation with the Foreign Ministry. These two ministries should work like two arms of one institution, Caglayan explained, saying that the Foreign Ministry would set the political parameters while his takes care of trade. Caglayan also said that he would soon be holding official trade talks in China and Libya with an eye to improving trade ties. In related news, Caglayan next month will have official trade talks in Romania accompanied by a business delegation representing such sectors as construction, food, textiles, autos and software.