Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

The business trip, hosted by Socar and Petkim and organized by the initiative of the EBSO Board President Ender Yorgancılar, virtually invaded Baku with a committee of 180 people with the İzmir Mayor Cahit Kıraç among them.

- The first goal is to double trade

Approximately 300 Izmir and Azeri representatives of the industry, food, textile, furniture, chemicals, plastic, construction, cooling, mining, steelworks, metals, machinery, and transportation vehicles sectors met at the Park INN Radison Hotel in Baku to lay the groundwork for cooperation. During the Azerbaijan – Turkey Business Forum, held in regards to EBSO’s Azerbaijan visit, it was stated that the relationship between the two countries is an example to the whole world and that the first goal would be to double the current trade figures.

Azerbaijan Economic Development Deputy Minister Sevinç Hesenova stated that Azeri and Turks have always been together in joy and sadness and that this fraternity and friendship should be reflected in the same way on trade.
Hesenova added that around 50 Azeri companies in Turkey have made investments totaling 4.5 billion dollars.

- Gratitude for investment and EXPO support

The Mayor of Izmir Cahit Kıraç stated that they were experiencing the honor of addressing Azeri friends in an international meeting in the same language.
Stating that Turkey is the first country to have recognized Azerbaijan and that the first help for the Van earthquake came from Azeribaijan, Kıraç said, “State Oil Compnay of Azerbaijan Republic, Socar, has made the largest investment to date in Izmir. This investment will provide employment for 10,000 during its construction and for 1,000 once it is completed. It will be a cure for unemployment. The cooperation volume between the countries has reached 2.5 billion dollars with the sale of natural gas. With the continuation of bilateral talks, the first of which has been held, this figure will continue to increase.

- Development push for both of the countries

Turkish Ambassador to Baku Hulusi Kılıç stated that Turkey would continue to stand with Azerbaijan regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh issue having kept its borders closed for Azerbaijan for the last 18 years and many more to come if need be.

- Advantageous investment in Azerbaijan

Turcas Board President Erdal Aksoy stated that Azerbaijan has become a country which brings about miracles throughout the world in the space of 20 years and that the privatization process of Petkim has been difficult, having been undecided on whether to go through with it until SOCAR had accepted.

- Crisis in Europe, new horizons with friends

Socar & Tucar CEO Kenan Yavuz stated that Turkey – Azerbaijan friendship has progressed to a strategic partnership, gaining a solid shape, and that the agreement signed in Izmir on the 25th of October has brought affairs of the two countries to a new level.

- Aliyev’s visit

The two day business and assessment of the Aegean Region Industry Chamber visit to the city of Baku has yielded its first fruits. As part of the visit, EBSO Board President Ender Yorgancılar’s Izmir Representative Aydın Şengül, İzmir Mayor Cahit Kıraç and Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan Hulusi Kılıç and Azerbaycan President İlham Aliyev visit has laid the foundation of the facilitation of trade between the two countries and abolishing customs obstacles.

- The industrialists are satisfied

On the return flight of the business trip attended by approximately 150 industrialists and businessmen, the EBSO Board President Ender Yorgancılar, making assessments regarding the trip, stated that an institution from Turkey has conducted a business organization for the first time in Baku and that the participating industrialists are quite satisfied in addition to which the businessmen have made many new contacts.

- STA will multiply trade

Yorgancılar stated that, during the visit to the Azerbaijan President İlham Aliyev, they discussed what could be done to further develop the industrial and commercial affairs between the two countries, and went on, “I have expressed it to Aliyev that an open trade agreement (STA) would be very beneficial. I emphasized that while the olive oil imported from Russia is subject to 16% customs tax, the same, important from Turkey, is subject to 36%. Aliyev views these suggestions positively. The first steps in this project will be taken by our Ambassador. I will relay this matter to Economy Minister Zafer Çağlayan in Ankara. Hopefully, a Free Trade Agreement which will facilitate commerce between the two countries and lower customs taxes to an acceptable level will be implemented in short order.”