Turkish minister: We must increase trade with Azerbaijan to $5bn

Turkey's State Minister Responsible for Foreign Trade has stressed the necessity of boosting the bilateral trade with Azerbaijan, saying "we must make it reach 5 billion dollars".

Zafer Caglayan spoke to journalists upon his arrival in Baku, where he is expected to have several bilateral meetings and attend a joint forum of Azeri and Turkish businessmen. Caglayan expressed hope his visit would contribute to boosting the economic and business relations between the two countries.

“Trade between Azerbaijan and Turkey is now $2 billion, but it falls well behind our potential. And we must increase it.”

The Turkish minister also praised Azerbaijan`s development.

“I'm an engineer by profession, and I'm good at construction and urban planning. There has been a tremendous progress in Baku since my last visit here in 2009.”

“I'm deeply impressed by what I have seen in Baku – beautiful streets and roads, state-of-the-art buildings. Today Baku looks much more better than the world's modern cities. And I`m very proud as this is my country as well,” he added.

Caglayan said: “I'm also happy about Azerbaijan's economic and political achievements, as well as the improving prosperity of the friendly people of Azerbaijan – and all this of course is the product of President Ilham Aliyev's political course.”

“And I thank the President of Azerbaijan for it. I'm happy about it, at least, as much as the Azerbaijani people are. And I vow to highlight, whenever I go, Baku's development.”


/AzerTAc/