Turkish Forum

Category: Central Asia

  • Kazakh PM: Turkey has great ‘production potential’

    Kazakh PM: Turkey has great ‘production potential’

    Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Karim Qajymqanuly Massimov lauded Turkey’s “production potential” at a meeting with the Central Asian nation’s leading businessmen on Friday.

    “Turkey is a country with great production potential,” said as part of his observations in Turkey last week. “With its noteworthy economic growth, Turkey is a country of interest for all,” he also said during the meeting.

    The Kazakh prime minister attended the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) summit on Dec. 22-24 in İstanbul. The summit hosted 10 member and guest countries, including the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC), Iraq, Qatar, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Some of the leaders participating in the summit were Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Kyrgyz President Roza Otunbaeva, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon. Turkey took over the ECO rotating presidency from Iran during the summit.

    Also as part of his meeting with the businessmen, Massimov said Kazakhstan could achieve success similar to Turkey. He finally noted that he had ordered the relevant national authorities to open a branch of the National Economic Chamber of Kazakhstan (ATAMEKEN Union) in Turkey. In response to a question after the meeting, the union’s president, Azat Peruashev, told reporters that efforts to open the Turkey branch had already been initiated.

  • Tajikistan President says ready to cooperate with Turkey

    Tajikistan President says ready to cooperate with Turkey

    TUSKON Chairperson Rizanur Meral, in his part, said that they accepted President Rahmon’s invitation to Tajikistan.

    Thursday, 23 December 2010 11:32

    76445President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon said Wednesday that “without investments, it would not be possible to make use of Tajikistan’s natural and human potential”.

    Speaking at the “Turkey-Tajikistan Trade and Investment Forum”, organized by the Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists of Turkey (TUSKON) in north-western province of Istanbul, Rahmon said that “the Tajik government was doing all it can for investors”.

    We expect great changes in joint commercial and economic spheres. The groundwork for such a change is ready. We, once again, invite you to Tajikistan. Any businessperson travelling to Tajikistan will not feel as a foreigner, Rahmon underlined.

    The trade volume between Turkey and Tajikistan increased by two fold in 2010 when compared to the previous year. Nonetheless, the trade volume is far behind the trade volume in 2007 which was 500.5 million USD, Rahmon said.

    Conditions are ripe to develop Turkish-Tajik commercial and economic relations. To date, Turkey has extended assistance worth 40 million USD to Tajikistan. There are 53 Turkish companies operating in Tajikistan, however, this number is very few, Rahmon said.

    Tajikistan has taken crucial steps for commerce and investments. We can state that Tajikistan has entered a phase that businesspeople can have confidence in. Volatile days in Tajikistan are over, Rahmon said.

    Tajikistan still faces certain problems in investments. Without investments, it would not be possible to utilize Tajikistan’s natural and human potential. We invite, once more, (Turkish) investors to Tajikistan, Rahmon said.

    “Ready for cooperation”

    Touching on Tajikistan’s natural resources, Rahmon stressed that there could be great opportunities to produce electricity in his country.

    Tajikistan has the world’s richest silver mines. Certain mineral resources are being processed by companies from China and Canada. Many other mineral resources are currently waiting to be processed, Rahmon underlined.

    We are ready to cooperate with Turkey. Turkish companies are presently involved in 60 projects in Tajikistan that are worth around four billion USD, Rahmon said.

    TUSKON Chairperson Rizanur Meral, in his part, said that they accepted President Rahmon’s invitation to Tajikistan.

    We will visit Tajikistan with a group of Turkish businesspeople in the first half of 2011, Meral also said.

    “$317 mln-trade volume”

    The Republic of Tajikistan is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and People’s Republic of China to the east. Tajikistan also lies adjacent to Pakistan and the Gilgit-Baltistan region, separated by the narrow Wakhan Corridor.

    Turkish President Abdullah Gul also said that Turkish businessmen should boost their investments in Tajikistan.

    Gul said that Turkey and Tajikistan were eager to boost bilateral ties.

    Gul said that Tajikistan had rich mines, marble reserves and water resources, stating that Turkish businessmen should make good use of numerous opportunities in this country.

    Turkish businessmen should attach a special interest in this country, he said.

    Trade volume between Turkey and Tajikistan was 317 million U.S. dollars in the first 10 months of 2010.

    Most of Tajikistan’s population belongs to the Persian-speaking Tajik ethnic group, who share language, culture and history with Afghanistan and Iran. Once part of the Samanid Empire, Tajikistan became a constituent republic of the Soviet Union in the 20th century, known as the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic (Tajik SSR). Mountains cover over 90% of this Central Asian republic.

    After independence, Tajikistan suffered from a devastating civil war which lasted from 1992 to 1997. Since the end of the war, newly established political stability and foreign aid have allowed the country’s economy to grow. Trade in commodities such as cotton and aluminium has contributed greatly to this steady improvement.

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  • Turkmen judges, prosecutors learn from Turkish judicial system

    Turkmen judges, prosecutors learn from Turkish judicial system

    Friday, December 17, 2010 – Judges and prosecutors from Turkmenistan wound up a one-week trip to Istanbul and Ankara Friday to see how Turkey’s judicial system works.

    Tajik prosecutors and judges spent this week in Istanbul and Ankara learning about the Turkish judicial system
    Tajik prosecutors and judges spent this week in Istanbul and Ankara learning about the Turkish judicial system

    The visiting Turkmen delegation was shown by their hosts how judiciary exams are formulated and also given insight into the workings of the Justice Ministry’s data processing department in Ankara.

    The participants visited the Penal and Arrest Institution in Istanbul, as well as the city courthouse and its Institute of Forensic Medicine.

    The visitors also attended a study course on the activities, mandate and management system at the Justice Academy where Turkish judges and public prosecutors are trained.

    The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) organized the trip of Supreme Court and Justice Ministry officials, along with representatives of the General Prosecutor’s Office and Parliament.

    “This working visit helped Turkmenistan representatives to familiarize themselves with the Turkish judicial system as well as with the role of Justice Academy in Turkey,” an OSCE press release on Friday quoted the head of its office in Ashgabat Begoña Piñeiro Costas as saying.

    The Acting President of Justice Academy of Turkey, Sami Sezai Ural, expressed the value of such cooperation.

    “We believe in the importance of exchange of knowledge and experience between counterpart institutions from different countries. I hope this study visit was useful for our Turkmen colleagues,” he said.

    The study visit is the latest activity in a program that saw a workshop on judicial education in Ashgabat in September and a visit to France’s National School of Magistrates last year.

  • Kazakh Consulate General in Istanbul organizes reception on occasion of Independence Day

    Kazakh Consulate General in Istanbul organizes reception on occasion of Independence Day

    The Kazakh Consulate General in Istanbul has organized a diplomatic reception on occasion of the Independence Day.

    The policy elite of Istanbul headed by Governor Hüseyin Avni Mutlu, representatives of the consulate corps accredited in Istanbul, public figures of the country of residence, business circles of Turkey, creative intelligentsia, journalists took part in the event. In the course of the reception the Consulate General and Directorate of the VII Asian Winter Games made presentation of the Games in Kazakhstan in 2011.

    The guests noted the growing authority of our country at the international arena, high rates of socio-economic development. Today Kazakhstan actively forms as one of the centers of the world diplomacy, various economic and cultural events. Holding the OSCE Summit in Astana, initiatives on strengthening international and regional security and integration prove it. Upcoming chairmanships of Kazakhstan in the OIC and SCO, organization of the VII Asian Winter Games as well as other various events will keep up high interest of the world community in Kazakhstan.

    via Eng.Gazeta.kz – Kazakh Consulate General in Istanbul organizes reception on occasion of Independence Day.

  • Turkish President Holds Meetings In Kazakhstan

    Turkish President Holds Meetings In Kazakhstan

    kazakistan gulTurkish President Abdullah Gul held bilateral meetings with several foreign leaders in Astana, Kazakhstan on Wednesday.

    Gul is currently Kazakhstan to attend the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) heads of state and government summit.

    Gul met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, British Deputy Premier Nick Clegg and the Vatican’s Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone.

    Turkish president also attended the opening session of the summit.

    His meetings with leaders were closed to press.

    OSCE is the world’s largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, human rights, freedom of the press and fair elections. Most of its 3,500-plus staff are engaged in field operations, with only around 10 percent in its headquarters.

    The summit will take place in Astana on December 1 and 2.

    Kazakhstan took over term presidency of OSCE in 2010.

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  • Turkey, Turkmenistan sign deal on science cooperation

    Turkey, Turkmenistan sign deal on science cooperation

    Turkish State Minister Zafer Caglayan and Turkmen vice presidents also signed an agreement envisaging cooperation between science academies of the two countries.

    Friday, 12 November 2010 16:21

    gul turkmenistanThe Turkish president said on Friday that his current visit to Turkmenistan confirmed one more time the will and determination to improve Turkey’s ties with this country.

    Speaking at a joint press conference with his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow in Turkmenbashi, Turkish President Abdullah Gul said Turkmenistan had developed remarkably since his last visit to the country two years ago.

    Noting that numerous important matters had been on the agenda of his talks in Turkmenistan, Gul said the two countries had carried out successful activities in development, construction, industry and energy projects so far, adding cooperation opportunities for near future had been discussed during his latest meetings.

    “We have also discussed the things we can do to carry our common culture and historical heritage to future generations,” Gul said.

    “We have one more time confirmed our will to improve our relations in every area,” the president added.

    Turkmen President Berdimuhamedow also said that Gul’s visit provided the opportunity for a fruitful exchange of views on matters concerning both countries.

    Describing Turkey as a major and strategic commercial and economic partner, Berdimuhamedow said Turkey and Turkmenistan had common cultural and historical values for centuries.

    The Turkmen president noted that cultural activities to be organized at international level would help Turkey and Turkmenistan get closer.

    As part of Gul’s visit to Turkmenistan, Turkish State Minister Zafer Caglayan and Turkmen vice presidents also signed an agreement envisaging cooperation between science academies of the two countries.

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