Turkey, France sign economic partnership deal

Turkish State Minister for foreign trade Zafer Caglayan and French Minister of State for foreign trade Anne-Marie Idrac signed a memorandum of understanding at the end of the second meeting of Turkey-France Economic and Commercial Partnership Committee in Ankara on Thursday.

Delivering a speech in the signature ceremony, Caglayan said Turkish and French businessmen could work together in the third countries.

750-800 French-origin companies were operating in Turkey, Caglayan said.

State Minister Caglayan said that Turkey deserves to be a full member of the EU with its strategic and geographical location and its role as a bridge between the east and the west. "Turkey will strengthen the EU," he said.

In her part, Idrac said that the two countries were determined to boost trade volume to 15 billion euros in 2011.

Turkey and France could cooperate in the areas of energy, transportation and environment, she said.

Idrac said in regard to Turkey's EU accession process, EU opened two chapters to negotiations during the presidency of France.

/World Bulletin/