Comments

You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name

Your e-mail (optional)

Website (optional)

	My Original Nic Pic-a-Nic Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Foto

Submit your comments on this article

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Turkey and Syria sign FTA

2004-12-24

Turkey and Syria on Wednesday signed a free trade agreement to bolster bilateral economic ties and exchanged views on the situation in their common neighbour, Iraq. Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan flew to Damascus on a two-day visit aimed at cementing improved ties between the two countries which nearly went to war in 1998 over Turkish charges that Syria was harbouring Turkish Kurdish guerrillas. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad made a landmark visit to Turkey in January to bury the hatchet after years of tension over the rebels and disputes over land and water resources.

"Yeah, Mr. Erdogan, I know we're not the EU and all, but at least you get to sign a treaty with someone!"

Posted by:Steve White

#14 If I recall correctly from an investment course I took many years ago, Present Value of Money Theory says that values halve due to inflation every 10 years, ie things cost twice as much. In that case (and those who know more than I about what I think I know please correct me), Turkey's $5bil. goal for 2005 is still significantly less than pre-Gulf War I. Murat and ed are correct, the wars against Iraq have cost Turkey significantly. Economic meltdown is too strong a description, but their economy was very badly hit both times, and by the boycott in between. I have friends who went from wealth to poverty, much as happened in Mexico. And nobody seems to have cared, which may well be why Erdogan was so responsive to Chiraq's manuvering (sp?). Cause and effect isn't only one way, guys.

Posted by: Gleaper Thomomble7223 2004-12-25 12:24:22 AM

#13 hiya murat! goodn see ya back. :)

Posted by: muck4doo 2004-12-24 8:19:13 PM

#12 doesn't the NFL do well over 3 Billion $ in trade/impact? Jeez, Murat, get an NFL franchise or 2 ....Oops! Another coalition that doesn't want you...so sad

Posted by: Frank G 2004-12-24 5:29:08 PM

#11 Good heavens five billion dollars in Trade. Damnation! A veritable trade jagguernault. This sure doesn't sound like the sick boy of euRope.

Posted by: Shipman 2004-12-24 5:00:18 PM

#10 Are the rugs getting cheaper? I like a burgundy motif myself. Wait a second.... that's them presians. Sorry Murat. No dough for you.

Posted by: Shipman 2004-12-24 4:58:39 PM

#9 Murat - your gov'ts policies are to blame - stick with your friends and things would be different. Live and learn? Or is that beyond your economic genius?

Posted by: Frank G 2004-12-24 4:06:43 PM

#8 Bush is like a virus for our trade, Bush I senior, Bush II junior, hope there is no Bush junior III, fact is family Bush crushed all trade with 3 of our neighbours, Iran, Iraq and Syria.

Trade of $5bln with Iraq, yeah sure, with Iraq in flames and civil war, I bet you're right.

Posted by: Murat 2004-12-24 4:04:12 PM

#7 Turkey Iraq trade:
1990: 2.5 billion U.S. dollars (pre Kuwait invasion and annexation)
1999: $661 million
2000: $1.26 billion
2004: around $2 billion
2005: $5 billion goal
2006 and on: ???

Seems the invasion and democratic transformation of Iraq is quite lucrative for Turkey. Of course principaled Turks like Murat were quite happy with Saddam when he was invading a brother muslim neighbor or murdering 200,000 Kurds and driving even more off their lands.
-----
Iraq was Turkey's fourth largest trade partner before the 1991 Gulf War, with the trade volume standing at 2.5 billion U.S. dollars. But the U.N. sanctions, imposed after Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait, almost eliminated the trade between the two neighbors until recent years.

In 1999, the Turkish-Iraqi trade volume amounted to 661 million dollars, and to 1.26 billion dollars in 2000.

Tuzmen also said Turkey wants to increase its annual trade with Iraq from around $2 billion to $5 billion in 2005, but added that "the biggest obstacle" to doing that is the lack of security in Iraq.

Posted by: ed 2004-12-24 3:05:34 PM

#6 ..we have to find an alternative for our Iraq trade which is recently flattened by Bush.

Well sir, there's probably a reason for that. I won't go into detail here, as it's pretty apparent that you wouldn't understand...

Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-12-24 2:10:41 PM

#5 Obviously not an expert in Causes => Effects

Posted by: Frank G 2004-12-24 9:38:17 AM

#4 Right. Murat II must be an econ major.

Posted by: Mrs. Davis 2004-12-24 8:15:07 AM

#3 Not much, but even if trade would stand at a poor $2 - 3bln, it would mean that 20 or 30 companies in Turkey can exist on that, a little bit is better than nothing.

Posted by: Murat 2004-12-24 5:45:21 AM

#2 Wonder what Syria has to sell. Or what it can afford to buy.

Posted by: gromgoru 2004-12-24 5:16:57 AM

#1 LOL Stevie, bolsterin economic ties is not a bad thing, we have to find an alternative for our Iraq trade which is recently flattened by Bush.

Posted by: Murat 2004-12-24 4:34:59 AM

00:00