Ankara: First Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani on visit to Turkey pointed out that Qatar is aspiring for closer relations with Turkey in the economic field in view of the historical relations binding together Qatar and Turkey and binding as well Turkey and the gulf region in general.
Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem said Turkey is considered a key transit for economy, transport and technology and for contribution in the business sector between Europe and the other eastern countries.
Asserting that there is a remarkable trade exchange between Qatar and Turkey which he said should go on, the Foreign Minister expressed hope that his visit to Turkey would contribute to enhancing and promoting relations.
Addressing a joint press conference here yesterday with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem said during Erdogan's visit to Qatar, it was agreed to urgently follow up such a visit to explore venues of cooperation with Turkey. The Qatari Minister noted that the talks he held on Sunday with the Turkish Prime Minister were satisfactory along with the talks he held yesterday with a number of Turkish ministers .
All such talks focus on modality of advancing the promoting the economic and investment relations between the two countries, Foreign Minister told reporters.
Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem meantime described the political relations between the two sides as positive and historical. Voicing delight at the talks he held here yesterday, Foreign Minister said the talks will be followed up in the next two months to explore possible scopes of investment in Turkey.
Lauding the Turkish companies now working in the contracting and manufacturing sectors in Qatar, Foreign Minister welcomed the Turkish companies and wished them more success. In his talks with the Turkish officials, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem said they touched on the tourist and housing investment ventures in addition to the roads, agriculture and power sector- related ventures.
Over the past few years, Qatar has pursued to invest in Turkey, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem told the press conference and noted that there is a tangible progress in laws applied in Turkey and transparency adopted here, and this in turn would much encourage investment in Turkey.
Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem conferred here yesterday evening with Turkish Finance Minister Kemal Onaktan, Turkish state Minister for Economic Affairs Ali Babacan and Minister of Communications Ben Ali Yildrim in seperate meetings.
The meetings were attended by H E Sheikh Jabor bin Yusuf Al Thani,the director of the office of the Foreign Minister, Mohamed Ismail Al Imadi, the charge d'affaires at Qatar embassy in Turkey, and Dr Hussein Al Abdullah, the Deputy Secretary General at the Supreme Council for Economic Affairs and Investment.
At a working luncheon banquet attended by the Foreign Minister, chances of investment and trade exchange between the two countries and reciprocal visits between the businessmen and investors of the two sides, were also taken up.
Asked about scopes of investment in Turkey, Foreign Minister said tourist and hotel investments are on top of the Qatari priorities noting that as for the other ventures, we are studying such ventures whether technological, investment, communications or agricultural ones.
There are fields of investments which we want to consider deeply with our friends in Turkey to be able to say our viewpoint on how to invest in them, said the minister at the banquet.
Asked about the fund to be invested in Turkey, he said, "the investment fund are open for the already existing sectors. Yet we are ready to invest within two to four billions dollars."
© The Peninsula 2005
