-TURKISH-QATARI BUSINESS COUNCIL MEETING HELD IN ISTANBUL

ISTANBUL (A.A) - 18.08.2009 - Union of Chambers' & Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) and Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey (DEIK) hosted Tuesday a working breakfast in honor of the Amir of Qatar who is currently paying a formal visit to Turkey.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Qatar's Amir Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani attended the TOBB-DEIK Turkish-Qatari Business Council meeting in Istanbul.
Speaking at the gathering, TOBB chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu said that he wanted to see more Qatari investments in Turkey.
Pointing to Turkish contractors' remarkable contribution to numerous important projects in Qatar, Hisarciklioglu said Turkish investors were ready to participate in more projects in this country.
"There are many opportunities that will strengthen the cooperation between Turkey and Qatar. Turkey is a land of opportunities in terms of investments," Hisarciklioglu said.
Delivering a speech at the meeting, Turkish National Education Minister Nimet Cubukcu said that the Turkish government and business world called on Qatari officials and businessmen to carry out mutual extensive economic movements between the two countries.
Cubukcu said that the trade volume between Turkey and Qatar, which was 25 million USD in 2002, rose up to 1.2 billion USD by the end of 2008.
She said the projects carried out by Turkish entrepreneurs in Qatar last year amounted to 6.5 billion USD.
"Both Turkish and Qatari businessmen know the opportunities, talents, needs and expectations of their countries the best. If there are obstacles on your way, we will display all the efforts to eliminate them as governments," Cubukcu said.
Qatari Minister of State for International Cooperation & Conferences Khalid bin Muhammad al-Atiyah said in his part that the two countries had strong relations and the recent high-level visits paid by the officials of both countries strengthened such ties.
After the gathering, Qatari Amir al-Thani proceeded from Istanbul to the southwestern coastal town of Bodrum.
Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed al-Thani at Bodrum's Milas airport.
Afterwards, Erdogan and al-Thani had a meeting at the hotel where the Turkish premier is staying.