World Bulletin | 2013-6-28

Turkey aims to complete talks for FTA with Ukraine

Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoglu said Turkey aims to complete the talks for the Free Trade Agreement with Ukraine and to increase the trade volume between the two nations to 20 billion USD as of 2015

Davutoglu met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara in the second meeting of the Joint Strategic Planning Group (JSPG) functioning within the framework of the Turkey-Ukraine High Level Strategic Council (HLSC) in Ankara under the co-chairmanship of Davutoglu and Kozhara.

In a press conference, Davutoglu said Turkey considered Ukraine as a very important strategic partner and Turkey aims to complete the talks for FTA with Ukraine and increase trade volume between two nations to 20 billion USD as of 2015.

"We are determined to complete the talks for the FTA till the next meeting," Davutoglu added.

Davutoglu also said "we consider Ukraine as a very important strategic partner as seeing Ukraine within the perspective of having close ties in international area and regional studies."

With the occasion of Transportation corridor betwen Turkey and Ukraine, Kozhara said, important transportation lines can be established from Northern Europe to Southern Africa.

Kozhara said, Ukranian government planed to build LNG station at the Black Sea coast but "we are aware that it can not be an unilateral project."

"600 thousand Ukrainian tourists visited Turkey last year and the number of tourists from Ukraine who visit Turkey has been continuously increasing," said Kozhara.

Kozhara also said, Ukrainian government has planned to build a liquefied petroleum gas (LNG) station at the Black Sea coast but "we are aware that it can not be an unilateral project."

Noting that Ukraine respects Turkey’s recommendations and the straits security, Kozhara said, new technologies regarding drilling gas are the future of our energy industry.

Erdogan’s Gaza visit : Date not set yet

Davutoglu said, Erdogan’s Gaza visit will take place at the shortest and the most suitable time possible.
"The exact date of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Gaza visit was uncertain but it would take place at the shortest and the most suitable time possible," Davutoglu said.

As a response to a question about Erdogan’s Gaza visit, Davutoglu said, "as our Prime Minister stated, definitely Gaza visit is in our agenda. However, the exact date has not been determined yet".

"But, not only Gaza visit but also Palestine visit is on Prime Minister’s agenda and hopefully this visit is going to happen at the shortest and the most suitable time possible," also said Davutoglu.

AA