India, Turkey to start talks on FTA, double trade
The Hindu, India
India, Turkey to start talks on FTA, double trade
21 November 2008
New Delhi (PTI): Seeking to upgrade relations to a new level, India and Turkey today decided to start talks for a free trade accord, double bilateral trade to six billion dollars by 2010 and deepen cooperation in counter-terrorism.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his visiting Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to direct their officials to begin negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement and to "proactively encourage" two-way investment flows.
"Keeping in view the steady growth in our trade and economic cooperation, we have set a trade target of six billion dollars by 2010," Singh told reporters after a two-hour meeting with Erdogan here. Bilateral trade is expected to touch three billion dollars this financial year end.
The two sides agreed to collaborate further in the area of energy cooperation, particularly hydrocarbons, science and technology, culture, tourism and people-to-people contacts.
The two leaders also expressed satisfaction at the ongoing contacts in the field of defence and felt there was further scope for cooperation in this area.
Singh used the opportunity to convey his appreciation for Turkey’s support in joining the consensus in the Nuclear Suppliers Group for an India-specific waiver to enable civil nuclear cooperation with India.
The two leaders were in "full agreement" that terrorism posed a threat to "our common values" and needs to be tackled firmly and decisively through collective action.
"We have agreed to deepen our cooperation in the area of counter terrorism," Singh said.
