Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

TOBB/DEİK President Hisarcıklıoğlu spoke at the Turkish-Mexican Business Council in Mexico City, the capital of Mexico.

Stating that he was unfamiliar with Mexico before, Hisarcıklıoğlu said that Mexico is the world’s 11th largest economy with 300 billion Dollars’ worth of exports.

“We, as Turkish businessmen, have missed out on Mexico,” said Hisarcıklıoğlu and went on, “I’ve found out that 400 Turks live in Mexico. Our entrepreneurs have missed out here. We are the most active entrepreneurs of our region and we’ve missed out on Mexico.”

Addressing the businessmen attending the meeting, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “If you wish to have a say in global matters, you must trade with Mexico.”

Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that Mexico is one of the most attractive investment locations in the world, located between North America and South America, “North America is the world’s largest economic power. South America will be one of the most important economic powers in the world. In between these is Mexico. If you wish to have a presence it has to be in Mexico.”

Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that when you look at Turkey, 51% of the world’s production is to Turkey’s east while over half of the consumption is to Turkey’s west and that Turkey bridges the world at the center in a time when world economies are being reshaped.

In the next 40 years, Turkey and Mexico will be among the strongest economies of the world stated Hisarcıklıoğlu and called for more cooperation between businessmen.

Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that, as of the first 9 months of the last year Turkey is a growth giant, “Turkey’s economic policies are advancing just as planned, in this time of economic crises, the only European country to not have bailed out its banks is Turkey. Quite the opposite, we have grown our economy by 9.6%. There is great potential here.”

Turkey is the largest industrial giant between Italy and China, stated Hisarcıklıoğlu and said that 92% of its exports are to the EU and the USA in the form of high quality industrial goods.

Hisarcıklıoğlu, stating that both states have expectations, said that in order to increase trade between Turkey and Mexico, obstacles must be removed and a free trade agreement signed as soon as possible. Hisarcıklıoğlu also stated that the matters of visa, protection of investments and the prevention double taxing must be addressed as well.

Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “If we do these things, both countries will prosper.”

- Deputy Prime Minister Babacan

Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan stated that this was the first meeting after the establishment of the Turkish-Mexican Business Council after 2008. Stating that the common properties of Turkey and Mexico are quite numerous, Babacan reminding that Mexico is the world’s 11th largest economy and Turkey is the 16th and that both countries stand together in the OECD and G-20.

Stating that the trade volume between the two countries is unspeakable low, Babacan said that despite each countries’ total exports numbering in the hundreds of billions of Dollars, the trade between them amounts to 1 billion Dollars’ worth and that this is unacceptable.

- Expectations from Mexico

Babacan, listing Turkey’s expectations from the Mexican state, emphasized four subjects. Babacan stated that Turkey has done its part in regards to the prevention of double taxing, bilateral protection and promotion of investments agreement. Babacan also stated that the agreement to start direct civilian flights between Mexico and Turkey as well as the free trade agreements should be signed as soon as possible.

Babacan said, “The free trade agreement between Turkey and Mexico is both a timely agreement and also a natural right of Turkey especially after a free trade agreement between Mexico and the EU has been signed, giving Mexico rights to participate freely in trade in Turkey, presenting an asymmetrical situation.”

Babacan stated that they would intensify meetings with Mexico and would do their best to have these agreements signed as soon as possible.
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