Nov. 18 – Bilateral trade between Italy and Turkey amount to $20 billion dollars per year, and Italy is Turkey’s fourth largest trading partner. These and other key issues were discussed by the Italian Ambassador to Turkey Gianpaolo Scarante and Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci. The Ambassador pointed out that there are all the preconditons to expand collaboration into the automotive, defense, textile, infrastructure industries, and rich opportunities to cooperate on restoration, and together in third countries. “Italian companies – said Scarante – have long operated in Turkey, and always cooperated in the technology transfer process, which greatly benefited the Turkish industry. Today, we want to continue along this path, in the interest of both countries.” Minister Zeybekci agreed on the state of relations between Italy and Turkey, calling them “great and without any source of friction” and confirmed Turkey’s willingness to strengthen relations with Italy, via new Turkish investments in Italy and by attracting other Italian companies to Turkey. The Minister, who said he soon hoped to be able to meet the Italian Minister of Economic Development Federica Guidi, underlined the government’s commitment to ensure Turkish participation at Expo 2015 “at the highest level, with a pavilion of great value and quality.” The meeting was also an opportunity to exchange views on the free trade agreement being negotiated between the United States and the European Union and on the development of a Customs Union between the EU and Turkey. (Red)
Ambassador Scarante: “Extend economic relations with Turkey”
