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‘Axis shift rumors reflect disturbance over Turkey’s entry into new markets’
Speaking at the Syria Investment Conference -- organized by the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK), the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM) and the Turkey-Syria Strategic Partnership Council -- in İstanbul on Friday, the minister condemned the defamatory claims that Turkey is drifting away from the Western world.
The minister made particular mention of the Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey (TEPAV) adopting and spreading these rumors and accused it of “being tempted by foreign forces and talk of an axis shift.” He said TEPAV depends on the financial resources provided by exporters to conduct its studies and so its stance regarding the axis shift debate against Turkey is particularly incomprehensible.
“Turkey’s axis is obvious; it is the world’s axis,” the minister argued.
Foreign Trade Minister Zafer Çağlayan condemned the claims that Turkey is drifting apart from the West and gradually becoming more of a Middle Eastern country, adding that those who cultivate these rumors are uncomfortable with Turkey’s improving trade and the positive developments in its relations with neighboring countries |
He said he knew the real intentions and the real aims of those who spread these rumors very well, saying: “They are uncomfortable with Turkey’s improving trade and the positive developments in its relations with its neighboring countries. We do not respect these claims and we will never give any credit to them.” Çağlayan also asserted that Turkey is well-aware of the steps it is taking and will continue to develop its relations with Syria no matter what others say.
Çağlayan said Turkey’s trade volume with its southern neighbor was $795 million three years ago but it had risen to $1.8 billion as of the end of the last year, despite the global economic crisis. In the first five months of this year the figure had reached $1 billion, he added, and said they would go on to increase trade in a balanced way.
Syrian Economy and Trade Minister Lamia Assi also made a speech during the opening session of the conference, saying Syria has no concerns about the flow of capital to Turkey and that the relations must be on the basis of a win-win principle for sustainability.
Assi mentioned the economic reforms Syria has undertaken since 2005 to attract more foreign investments, particularly in the tourism, industry, real estate and banking sectors. Since then, the country has legislated 280 laws to facilitate investments, she underlined and said the most fundamental reforms had been the integration of the country’s economy into international trade and the ensuing abolishment of protectionist policies.
She said they wanted to boost the establishment of trade partnerships between Turkey and Syria. “These partnerships may be in any of these nations, depending on the projects’ chance of success. We are definitely not worried about the flow of capital to Turkey. We need real partnerships for the long term,” she explained.
She recalled the Arab Free Trade Area Agreement, signed in 1997, noting that investing in Syria would be a great way to enter the vast Arab markets without being bothered by quotas and tariffs. “A market of 300 million people awaits you,” she asserted.
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