Tag: Caglayan

Obstacles shuould be lifted for more Turkey-Tunisia trade

Minister said that Tunisia should lift obstacles to trade to pave the way for Turkish businessmen who were eager to make investments in this country.

Thursday, 02 December 2010 17:21

Turkish foreign trade minister said on Thursday that Tunisia should lift obstacles to trade to pave the way for Turkish businessmen who were eager to make investments in this country.

Delivering a speech at Turkey-Tunisia Business Forum in Tunis, State Minister for foreign trade Zafer Caglayan said that Turkish businessmen were ready to invest in this country as they did in their own countries.

Caglayan said his visit aimed at boosting trade between Turkey and Tunisia and inviting Turkish businessmen to this country.

Tunisian economy was growing and Tunisia had several important energy resources, he said. “Tunisia should diversify its products and increase its investments abroad,” he said.

Turkey has made several economic initiatives in the world in the past 8 years and it was the 15th largest economy of the world, he said. Turkey reached this position with its political and economic stability as well as free economy, he said.

Caglayan said that Turkey was exerting great efforts to boost its trade with all countries especially neighboring ones and the country was eager to increase its commercial ties with Tunisia.

Tunisian Minister of Trade and Handicrafts Ridha Ben Mosba said that the two countries should enhance bilateral ties.

Mosba said Tunisia offered a good environment for businesspeople and several investment opportunities.

AA

December 3, 2010
Japanese firm moves six plants to Istanbul

A Japanese company has decided to move six plants from Belgium to Istanbul, attracted by the recent economic growth and business-friendly environment in Turkey, Turkish Trade Minister Zafer Çağlayan said at a recent meeting.

Japanese group Mayekawa, one of the world’s leading cooling systems manufacturers in the food, dairy, marine, oil and gas sectors are planning to set up new plants in Turkey because of the great investment potential in Turkey, Çağlayan said at a Turkish- Japanese Business Council meeting Thursday.

He called on other Japanese investors to follow suit, saying manufacturing in Turkey is “much more affordable and profitable” compared to Europe.

“Mayekawa MGT has decided to invest in one of the industrial zones in Istanbul,” said Cemal Yılmaz, general manager of Frigo Mekanik A.Ş, a Turkish Mayekawa retailer.

The company is preparing to shift all its operations to Turkey to manufacture freezing and compression technologies in Turkey, rather than Belgium. Mayekawa is considered one of the largest oil-flooded screw compressor manufacturers in the world and currently maintains operations in Tokyo, Los Angeles and Brussels.

Due to the low cost of production and labor in Turkey the company decided to leave Belgium and direct its new investments to Istanbul, Yılmaz said, although he did not disclose the amount the company planned to invest. “Frigo will remain the primary retailer of Mayekawa products in Turkey,” he said.

Mayekawa Director Tetsuro Shigeoka, CEO Toshio Yagitani, General Manager Shinichi Itou held private talks with Çağlayan to discuss the details and conditions of the Istanbul investment.

Mayekawa currently operates manufacturing facilities in Japan, Belgium, the United States, Brazil, Mexico and South Korea.

November 26, 2010
First Native American Business Cooperation Trip

ISTANBUL, TURKEY — Representatives from 17 Native American tribes left the U.S. on Nov. 6 for a week long business, educational and cultural exchange trip to Turkey on Turkish Airlines’ inaugural flight from Washington, D.C. to Istanbul, organized by the Turkish Coalition of America.

Among the delegation is NAIHC Executive Director Mellor Willie (Navajo), former Salish and Kootenai Chairman James Steele, Tom Acevedo of S&K Technologies, and representatives from the Montana State Tribal Economic Development Commission, the Montana State Tribal Economic Development Program, and the Montana Native American Development Corporation.

Participants on the first Native American Business Cooperation Trip are scheduled to meet with Turkish Minister for Foreign Affairs Ahmet Davutoglu, Minister for Foreign Trade Zafer Caglayan, and members of the Turkish Parliament’s Turkey-USA Friendship Group.

The group also met with representatives of the Turkish Exporters’ Council; participate in business symposiums and networking at Istanbul Technical University, Hacettepe University, and Bahcesehir University; and visited Gallipoli, the site of a World War I campaign that still resonates with Turks as a defining moment in the history of the Turkish people and the modern Republic of Turkey.

“The Native American Business Cooperation Trip is the highlight of our recent efforts to foster increased economic and cultural ties between Turkey and Indian Country,” G. Lincoln McCurdy, president of TCA, said. “It is one of the largest Native American international delegations in recent years, and the first to visit Turkey. This trip marks the latest evolution in our work promoting the development of relationships between the Turkish peoples and the many ethnic and cultural groups in the United States.”

TCA has already organized three meetings with Minister for Foreign Trade Caglayan in 2010, including two meetings in the U.S. between Minister Caglayan and Native American delegations, laying the groundwork for the Business Cooperation Trip.

The delegation returned on Nov. 14. Other participants on Turkish Airlines’ inaugural flight include Members of Congress, journalists and think tank experts.

-courtesy of Tracy Schall

via News briefs – leaderadvertiser.com: Local/State News – News briefs: Local/State News.

November 21, 2010
TCA Native American Delegation Meets Turkish Minister

Participants in the TCA Native American Business Cooperation Trip to Turkey met yesterday with Turkish Minister for Foreign Trade Zafer Caglayan and the leadership of the Turkish Exporters’ Assembly to discuss opportunities for economic cooperation between Indian Country and Turkey. Topics covered during the meeting included natural resources, tourism, and construction.

In his remarks, Caglayan promised the attendees that they would not find better business partners than the Turks. He in turn extolled the benefits of pursuing business partnerships with Native American tribes, highlighting their status as sovereign nations and their independence in creating foreign policy.

Caglayan’s speech was followed by presentations from many of the tribal representatives, who spoke optimistically of the potential for a strong relationship between the Turkish and Native American peoples. Caglayan was invited to visit the many tribal homelands, and the minister promised to schedule visits during his next trip to the U.S.

Kimberly Vele, president of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians, said she was astounded by how similar Turkish culture was to Native American culture. Michael Finley, chairman of the Tribes of the Colville Reservation, shared his vision for the effects of the meeting: “Ten years from now, I hope that we will be meeting as business partners, not just people pursuing business opportunities.”

The delegation today also visited the Ataturk Airport Free Trade Zone to learn about creating “free zones” in the U.S., enjoyed a lecture on Turkish tents by Dr. Nurhan Atasoy, renowned art historian and Senior Scholar in Residence at the Turkish Cultural Foundation, and met with Turkish business leaders for a networking session hosted by Bahcesehir University. The delegation remains in Turkey until Nov. 14 and will also visit Ankara and Gallipoli for meetings and cultural research.

Tribes represented on the TCA Native American Business Cooperation Trip are: Arizona: Navajo Nation; Idaho: Couer d’Alene Tribe; Louisiana: Tunica-Biloxi Tribe; Michigan, Bay Mills Tribe of Chippewa; Montana: Assiniboine & Sioux Tribes, Crow Tribe, Salish & Kootenai Tribes; New Mexico: Navajo Nation; New York: Seneca Nation; Oklahoma: Cherokee Nation, Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes, Fort Sill Apache Tribe, Osage Nation, Quapaw Tribe; South Dakot:, Rosebud Sioux/Sicangu Oyate; Washington: Tribes of Colville Reservation, Yakama Nation; Wisconsin: Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians.

via TCA Native American Delegation Meets Turkish Minister | TurkishNY.com.

November 11, 2010
“Turkey, China Can Cooperate In Contracting”

Turkey’s state minister for foreign trade said on Wednesday that Turkey and China could cooperate in contracting services.

Zafer Caglayan said many countries were willing to cooperate with Turkish contractors, and defined China and Turkey as the two leaders in contracting industry.

“Let us join our forces and make business in other countries,” Caglayan said during a Turkish-Chinese Business Forum in Hangzhou, China.

Caglayan called on Chinese businessmen to invest in Turkey as Turkey had started to implement a new incentive system.

The minister also said Turkish Airlines (THY) was eager to operate cargo flights to Beijing and Shanghai every day.

After the forum, Shanghai Textile Association and Turkey’s Uludag Textile Exporters’ Association signed a memorandum of understanding.

Caglayan later proceeded to the Japanese capital Tokyo, the last stop of his tour of the Far East.

Caglayan’s first stop in the Far East was Hong Kong, where he discussed contracting business opportunities, possible commercial and economic cooperation between Turkey and Hong Kong.

Turkish State Minister Caglayan will begin his talks in Japan on November 4. After being received by Prince Tomohito, Caglayan will meet CEO of Toshiba Corp., Toshiba Power, and Japanese business federation.

Caglayan is set to have a meeting with Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade, & Industry Akihiro Ohata and attend Turkish-Japanese Business Council meeting.

The minister will also come together with chairmen of Aeon, Sojitz, Sumitomo, Itochu and Taisei companies, and call on main investors of the country to make best use of attractive investment opportunities in Turkey.

Turkey’s trade with Hong Kong, China and Japan has been on the rise in years. Turkey’s exports to Hong Kong amounted to 226 million USD and its imports were 100 million USD in 2009.

Turkey’s exports to Hong Kong were up 30.5 percent in the first eight months of 2010 to 152 million USD, and its imports were up 15.6 percent to 72 million USD when compared with the same period of 2009.

Turkey earned 1.6 billion USD from its exports to China, and imported goods worth 21.7 billion USD from China in 2009. Turkey’s exports to China were up 62.7 percent to 1.5 billion USD between January and August 2010, whereas its imports from Russia amounted to 10.7 billion USD with a 37.8 percent rise.

Exports to Japan were around 233 million USD, and 175 million USD in the first eight months of 2010 with 20.5 percent rise over the same period of 2009. Imports to Japan were 2.8 billion USD in 2009 and 2 billion USD between January and August 2010. The rise in imports was 12.6 percent in the first eight months of 2010 over the same period of 2009.

AA

November 4, 2010
Turkey, spurning U.S., says companies free to trade with Iran

WASHINGTON – Turkey on Wednesday rebuffed a U.S. effort to persuade it to scale back its trade ties with Iran, despite a persistent U.S. lobbying campaign this week in Washington and Ankara.

Ali Babacan, Turkey’s deputy foreign minister, told reporters in Washington that Turkish companies will remain “free to make their own decisions” about whether to comply with U.S. and European sanctions aimed at cutting off trade with Iran.

The sanctions, adopted last summer, were designed to build enough economic pressure on Iran to persuade its leaders to limit its disputed nuclear program. The United States and many other countries believe the program is aimed at obtaining know-how to build nuclear weapons, while Iran insists it seeks only peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

Turkey is a major trading partner with its neighbor to the east, and its failure to comply with the sanctions is a major threat to their success. Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last month that his country wanted to triple its trade with Iran.

The Obama administration this week mounted a major effort to bring Turkey in line. The Treasury Department’s point man on Iran sanctions, Stuart Levey, visited Ankara on Wednesday to urge Turkish officials to cooperate in the sanctions effort, even as U.S. officials in Washington offered to broaden U.S.-Turkish trade ties.

Yet Babacan, a founding member of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development party, said Turkish businesses would be unwise to break off ties to Iranian firms when many European, Chinese and Russian companies “are still doing quite a big business with Iran and finding open doors.”

Babacan, though acknowledging that the Iranian economy is coming under “more and more pressure,” said he still doubted whether Iran’s leadership — which had faced decades of sanctions — would fold. “It is very difficult to expect them to move just because they’re under pressure,” he said.

Turkey receives about one-third of its energy from Iran, and the two-way trade, valued at more than $10 billion, is especially important to impoverished areas along the border with Iran.

Despite the government’s attitude, the U.S. and European sanctions may have some bite, including for Turkish banks, which risk losing access to the U.S. market if they do business with companies that trade with Iran.

Turkish Trade Minister Zafer Caglayan complained this month about U.S. pressure on the banks, saying, “We cannot tolerate it.”

Meanwhile, the Obama administration is also trying to sharpen pressure on Chinese companies, whose behavior is the greatest threat to the sanctions. As other companies cut ties with Iran, Chinese firms appear to be snapping up energy, financial and arms business.

Philip Crowley, the chief State Department spokesman, said Monday the administration has given China the names of companies it suspects are violating sanctions rules, and have received promises that China will investigate.

paul.richter@latimes.com

Source: ctnow

October 21, 2010