Tuzmen calls for stronger Turkish-Iranian trade ties

Stronger trade ties between Turkey and Iran could rise to $20 billion annually within five years, said State Minister for Foreign Trade Kursad Tuzmen yesterday. He made the remarks at a seminar in Ankara on boosting trade and investment between Turkey and Iran, with Iranian Commerce Minister Massoud Mirkazemi and many Turkish and Iranian businessmen in attendance. Calling on Iranian officials to remove trade barriers between the two countries, Tuzmen said that if both sides continue to take positive steps, bilateral annual trade could reach $20 billion within five years. Stating that Turkey is committed to carrying out important projects to boost trade with Iran, including a new free trade agreement, Tuzmen said that only a few obstacles remain to starting a mechanism under which both countries' domestic currencies could be used in mutual trade, a step that would be a great relief to the businessmen of both nations, especially amid the crisis environment of globally falling liquidity. Also speaking at the meeting, Mirkazemi said that his country was committed to solving problems and boosting mutual trade as much as possible. He said a list of customs tariffs as part of a preferential trade system with Turkey has been prepared, adding that this would greatly help reach the $20 billion trade target.