State minister Tuzmen meets with Chinese commerce minister

State Minister for Foreign Trade Kursad Tuzmen yesterday met in Beijing with Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming. At the meeting, Tuzmen said that the historical Silk Road connecting Europe to China should be revived, and added, "Let's the implement the Beijing-Mersin railway project, as this is in fact the shortest, most economical and historical road." Stating that a Chinese investment delegation should visit Mersin, Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara, he added that Mersin is a very strategic point for international trade. Touching on investment possibilities in Iraq, Tuzmen pointed to an important oil field in Iraq which Turkey and China could cooperate on. He proposed that the two countries work together to bring Iraqi natural gas to Turkey.