İzmir welcomes first presidental session

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

Ekrem Demirtaş, the president of the İzmir Chamber of Commerce.

The 15th annual Eurasian Economic Summit’s Presidential Session is being organized in the western province of İzmir on April 12, 2012. The main theme of the summit hosted by the İzmir Chamber of Commerce (İZTO), is “Three Continents, One Sea.”

Ekrem Demirtaş, president of the chamber, notes that nine former foreign presidents, along with three current presidents are set to attend the İzmir meeting, today. Some 200 ministers and senior representatives will also be in attendance.

“We are deeply honored to host and make up the İzmir leg of the Eurasian Economy Summit,” he said. Attendees will discuss hunger, poverty and unemployment at İzmir session in light of the main theme.
“We will also take this occasion to promote İzmir for EXPO 2020 candidacy,” Demirtaş said. “We wish to make a contribution to the efforts to unite international powers with this significant event, which covers countries in Europe, Asia and the Balkans. We desire to carry development, stability and welfare in these regions forward. Multilateral talks, deals and cooperation are the ways to accomplish this purpose. That is why we take heed of regional association “We have to work together if we want to solve hunger, poverty and unemployment problems. We wish for a common regional vision to be defined via an exchange of views, and for a significant strategy for all humanity to be adopted at the summit.

The İzmir leg will kicks off with the luncheon speech of Nermin Niksic, the Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Ertuğrul Günay, the Minister of Culture and Tourism of Turkey, and Binali Yıldırım the Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications of Turkey, will attend opening meeting and each will make a speech.

Dr. Akkan Suver, the President of Marmara Group Foundation, and Ekrem Demirtaş will also deliver speeches.

Cahit Kıraç, the Governor of Izmir, will also be in attendance.

Numerous current and former presidents will address issues regarding hunger, poverty and unemployment at the “President’s session”.

Bamir Topi, the President of Albania, Filip Vujanovic, the President of Montenegro, Gjorge Ivanov, the President of Macedonia, Derviş Eroğlu, the President of Northern Cyprus, and the Governor of Gagauzia, an autonomous region of Moldova, ane expected to attend the session.

Former presidents to attend the session include Zhelyu Zhelev (1990–1997) and Peter Stoyanov (1997–2002) of Bulgaria, Arnold Rüütel of Estonia (2001–2006), Fatmir Sejdiu of Kosovo (2006–2010), Pulsalmaagiin Ochirbat (1990–1997) and Natsagiin Bagabandi of Mongolia (1997–2005) of Mongolia, Olesegun Obasanjo of Nigeria (1999–2007), Emil Constantinescu (1996–2000) and Ion Iliescu (1990–1996, 2000–2004) of Romania.