Presidents,ministers,businessmen from Turkey and the Arab world met in Turkish-Arab Forum that is in Istanbul.The meeting that representatives joined from 22 countries became a trunk show to develop cooperation and trade between Turkey-Arab countries.The most critical development was Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu's explanation about founding high-level cooperation council that will launch free trade and visa application with Syria,Lebanon and Jordan.In political declaration,detailing the establishment of the Council, it was indicated that this council will be collected at the level of prime minister at least once in a year; in areas such as energy,trade,agriculture,health,environment and transport, related ministers may also participate in council's works.In addition,if all countries want,they can be included in this four council.Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that gave the opening speech in forum, '' We just do not share the same geography,just do not breathe the same air, just do not live in the same climate.We share a common history,carry a common sense of civilization,common culture. '' said.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan specified that the establisment of friendly relations with Arab countries led to comments in Turkey and in international press like '' Is Turkey's axis changing? Is Turkey turning away from the West? '' and said these: Establishing friendly relations,fighting for the welfare and for peace of our countries with Arab countries,namely with our brothers that we share a common civilization,common geography and common culture causing a variety of comments.Especially nowadays,there are some comments in the international press and in Turkey,such as '' Is axis of Turkey changing? , Is Turkey turning away from the West?''.The people that have been in a covering,preventing effort for the relations with Arab world,today give more intensity to this efforts again.I see the benefits to remind this that Turkey,with the name of that times,in 1959 he made his first application to become a member of the European Economic Community. No significiant concrete step was taken in the intervening 46 years. In 2005,we were engaged in accession talks,currently these negotiations are in progress. Somebody wants to break our eagerness.In fact,we are aware of their secret calendars but nevertheless we continue to do this due to the EU acquis. In fact,this is a test.The EU is still not aware that this is a test.We will see if its sincere or not.
Four nations will remove the borders by providing visa-free transition and implementation of free trade will reduce the tariff wall. 708 billion dollar is total GDP of Turkey,Syria,Lebanon and Jordan.
Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek; '' the Muslim world established a great civilization in the past .'' It was a source of innovation and enlightenment. Who don't we re-explore our powers by going back to our roots. Free trade agreements between Turkish and Arab countries will be useful,of course. Allocate more resources to educate our people. Invest in infrastructure. The key to reach the long-term stability is here.
President of Union Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey ( TOBB ) Rifat Hisarcıkcıoglu,indicated that there should be establish a strong banking network between the two countries and called for '' We should establish a common clearing bank.Thus we can reduce the dependence on foreign banks''. Hisarcıklıoglu emphasized that Turkey-Lebanon,Turkey-The Gulf Cooperation Council free trade agreement negotiations should be completed and he also said;'' When this two agreements is signed,we will have brought a large free trade area between the Eastern Mediterranean the Arabian Gulf. ''
Amr Moussa,General Secretary of Arab League,said that there have been made some studies for Arab natural gas transportation under the Mediterranean and there are many investment offers of these projects. Turkish banks wants partnership with Iraq. The cooperation is possible in OSB. Iraqi Finance Minister Mrs.Jabor said that some private Turkish banks are seeking for a partnership with private banks in Iraq.This seeking of partnership may be like in the form of shares,Jabor said; '' Many Turkish banks are interested in opening branches in Iraq.''
It was indicated that,the President of TOBB,Rifat Hisarlıkcıoglu will be the supporter and may help to Iraqi Vice President,Tariq al-Hashimi about Organized Industrial Zone (OSB) establishment.Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi emphasised that there is a need for a new OSB in Iraq,and they are open to cooperation in this regard.Hashimi expressed that they want from Turkish businessmen more trade and investment with Iraq and invited Hisarlıkcıoglu,the President of TOBB to Iraq to evaluate business opportunities with committee.
Yesterday in the meeting,Turk Telekom will sign common agreements about fiber-optic network with Jordan,Syria and Saudi Arabia. According to information that Reuters received from a close source,within the scope of the acquisition of Turk Telekom Invitel,on June 16,it will sign common agreements about fiber-optic networks with Jordan,Syria and Saudi Arabia.After Turk Telekom Invitel's purchase,it plans to expand this purchase in the Middle East with supplemental agreements. Turk Telekom Invitel's purchase and within the agreements that were planned aim to increase its market share in data traffic transportation of Middle East-Turkey-Europe.
Mohammad al-Hussein,Syria Minister of Finance,told that he will come together with Turkish banks to discuss an establishment of common bank in Syria. Minister,have noted that laws don't allow to foreign banks to open branches in Syria but,Turkish banks may have a certain extent of bank's capital that will be established as common.Al-Hussein said that Ziraat Bank and Akbank is among the banks he will discuss to.Suzan Sabancı Dinçer,Chairman of the Board of Akbank,said that they have no specific works to purchase a bank in Syria,but they continue negotiations on the issue.Dincer said ''We went to visit Syria,but there had been no concrete thing to purchase a bank,I think its a little early.''
Saad Hariri,Lebanon Prime Minister,said that they want to create new partnerships between Turkey-Lebanon.Hariri '' Although we are a small country,we understood the importance of doing this with Turkey.'' said. Hariri,calling Turkish businessmen to Lebanon to make an investment and talked about his country has a natural gas resources. Hariri said that they would like to develop a strategic partnership of Lebanon with Turkey and indicated that they would sign a new agreements to develop relations between two countries. He said '' We want a creation of partnerships between Lebanon and Turkey.''
Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoglu explained that Syria,Turkey and Lebanon will be declared as free-treade and free-visa countries and said these:
''We have developed free trade agreements both with the Arab and the Gulf Cooperation Council.Between Syria,Turkey,Jordan and Lebanon will be declared as free trade and free-visa countries.Between these countries,people and goods will be in navigation without barriers.In the border crossings,people will not understand that they go another country.From Sinop to Ecuador,from Istanbul strait to the Gulf of Aden,we have the most important generation of the world.We are passionate about this generation's converting into a security and economic area.The Prime Minister aims to convert all of this basin into a single basin.We were imagining that,but this is materializing.Without barriers,obstacles,the person will be able to go from Istanbul to Aleppo,Damascus,Amman,Beirut.''
The Governor of Central Bank,Durmus Yilmaz, '' Banks of Turkey can make a major contribution with the purpose becase their financial situation is better.Turkish banks,turned their eyes to this area by taking into account high level of liquidity in this area.'' said.In Turkish-Arab forum,Yılmaz answered questions from journalists about the allegations that 15 billion dollar came to Turkey and said that ' In our records,there is nothing like that,not even an issue.With this aspect of the work I even don't call that as '' fairy tale''. '
Kemal Dervis,the Senior Advisor of Sabanci University,Istanbul Policy Center said that Turkey's long '' engagement'' term with European Union (EU) there have been some obstacles and he became tired of these.Dervis talked in conference that was organized by Sabancı University Istanbul Policy Center and Transatlantic Academy, '' EU may keep Turkey's interest alive by making Turkey as an actor with taking economic,political and environmental dimensions into account.Friends of Turkey should depict that Turkey is belongs to EU family.'' he said.
All these achievements should not aim to only build a trade market in the Middle East, this kind of an union should take care of the conflicts and disagreements in the region. Also this union should not be a Arab union or Islamic Union, it should embrace all the nations in the region. If aims of this new establishment are different than the reasons above then, this union would be a question mark for the future.