In These New Times

PressTV

16th September, 2010

“Our bilateral trade ties have reached $10 billion … when we complete our preferential trade agreement we can reach a bilateral trade volume of $30 billion in five years,” Reuters quoted Erdogan as saying on Thursday.

“Why can’t we establish a mechanism of unrestricted trade with Iran similar to the one we have with Europe? I personally don’t see any reason why we should not be able to accomplish this,” he said in the Iran-Turkey Business Forum, Anatolia News Agency reported.

“Just as we are Iran’s gate into Europe, Iran is our most important gate into Asia,” Erdogan said, adding that economic cooperation between the two countries could be further expanded, IRNA reported.

The Turkish prime minister said the “geographic proximity” offers the two countries unique opportunities to improve their “commercial and economic ties.”

Earlier Thursday, Iranian First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi, who also attended the forum, stressed the importance of expanding ties between the two countries’ private sectors.

“We intend to promote economic cooperation with Turkey, Syria, Iraq and other countries in the region,” he said.