Turkey shows interest in boosting ties with GCC

(Wam)
11 December 2010

DUBAI - Turkey’s GDP shot up from $220 billion in 2002 to $618 billion in 2009, the world’s 17th largest nominal gross domestic product, and now is a member of the G-20 group.

During the tenure of the current government, the inflation in Turkey has lowered from 30 per cent to single digits, according to Prof Dr Emrullah Isler, Chief Adviser to the Turkish Prime Minister on the changes taking place in Turkey and the future of Turkish-Arab relations.

Turkey, he said, aims to become among the world’s ten largest economies by 2023, which corresponds to the 100th anniversary of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey who established true democracy and freedom in modern Turkey.

Shaikh Majid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority and other senior officials attended the lecture. Prof Isler is also the head of Arabic Language Department, Foreign Languages College at the Gazi University in Ankara.

At the end of the 31st Gulf Cooperation Council summit held in Abu Dhabi, leaders of the Gulf Arab countries formally welcomed strategic dialogue with Turkey, reports Today’s Zaman.

It was attended by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. The GCC, represented by Kuwait’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Shaikh Dr Mohammad Sabah Al Salem Al Sabah sought to improve ties with emerging Turkey within the economic cooperation framework agreement, which was signed in Manama in 2005.

He noted that Turkey is interested in furthering relations with GCC and other Arab countries.

Source: Khaleej Times.
Link: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?section=business&xfile=data/business/2010/december/business_december174.xml.