Gul urges Muslim countries to work together to counter global financial crisis

Majority-Muslim countries will undoubtedly feel the effects of the global financial crisis, said President Abdullah Gul yesterday. Speaking in Istanbul at the opening of the 24th meeting of the Organization of THE Islamic Conference's (OIC) Economic and Commercial Cooperation Permanent Committee (ISEDAK), Gul said that businessmen, tradesmen and industrialists from Muslim countries should work together to help weather the financial crisis. Focusing on improving investment opportunities, Gul added, "We must improve trade relations and boost mutual investment." Stressing that direct investment plays an important role in the global economy, he urged Muslim countries to keep money earned in recent years within fellow Muslim countries in these hard times, with the financial crisis in full swing.