ISTANBUL, April 5 (KUNA) -- The Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoglu called Friday for a Turkish-Arab economic integration, saying that the Arab Spring has paved the way for a new chapter of bilateral cooperation and economic integration among Arab states and Turkey . "This is the most suitable time to rediscover our potential, particularly at the economic level," Davutoglu said in speech at the second day of the Eighth Turkish-Arab Economic Forum held here.

"Today, we need a common Turkish-Arab market ... We need to remove all barriers between our states and people." The Turkish top diplomat expressed optimism about the future of Turkish Arab relations and economic cooperation.

"If we succeeded in reaching a unity among each other, we can work miracles," he said.

For his part, Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Khaled bin Mohammad Al-Attiyah voiced a similar view.

"The main economic pillars in the coming period will largely depend on the Gulf-Turkish-Egyptian relations," he said.

The two-day 8th Turkish-Arab Economic Forum kicked off here Thursday afternoon, under the auspices of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Forum brought together 600 participants from Turkey and Arab and European countries led by ministers, central bank governors and leaders of major companies operating in the fields of investment, banking and real estate development, industry, trade and tourism.

The first day of the Forum began with a business lunch with the Turkish Minister of Finance Mehmet Simsek, followed by an official opening, where Iraqi Minister of Construction and Housing Eng. Mohammed Suhaib al-Daraji, Egyptian Minister of Investment Osama Saleh, Turkish Minister of Finance Mehmet Simsek and Turkish Deputy Prime Minister for Economic and Financial Affairs Ali Babacan will successively take the floor.

It also included keynote speeches delivered by the Ukrainian First Vice-Prime Minister Sergei Arbuzov who will announce the Arab-Ukrainian Forum, as well as the Chairman of the Istanbul Stock Exchange Ibrahim Turhan.

The forum's sessions covered the following topics: First: The prospects of bilateral cooperation in the field of real estate development through the developments in Turkey and a selection of Arab countries.

Second: The dynamics of Turkish-Arab regional cooperation in the aftermath of the Arab Spring.

Third: The prospects of Arab-Turkish integration in the field of financial markets and its positive impact on both sides.

Fourth: Arab-Turkish cooperation in the fields of investment in Turkey, and specifically in the sectors of petrochemicals, health and trade.

Fifth: The potential of Islamic banking in the region and the use of "Soukouk" to fund major projects in Turkey.

In addition to the abovementioned, a session dedicated to strategic political affairs with the active participation of Turkish Foreign Davutoglu, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in the State of Qatar Khalid al-Attiyah, and former Secretary-General of the Arab League Amr Moussa.