Preident Gül goes to Emirates to cement trade ties
ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News
President Abdullah Gül flew to the United Arab Emirates yesterday along with more than 100 business people. It was the first visit to the Emirates by a Turkish head of state in 15 years, with trade and economic cooperation topping his agenda.In remarks to reporters before his departure, Gül said there was “great potential” for stronger economic ties, emphasizing that the bilateral trade volume reached nearly $5 billion last year and noting a series of projects undertaken by Turkish companies in the UAE that were worth $8 billion.
Gül said he would attend a business forum in Dubai, where Turkish and Emirati entrepreneurs would explore opportunities for joint ventures, and meet with the UAE’s largest investors at a separate event in Abu Dhabi.
Gül described the UAE as “a pre-eminent country that symbolizes prosperity and stability in the Middle East” and praised bilateral ties as “exceptional bonds between two rising powers in the region.”
The president was scheduled to hold talks with UAE ruler Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan and other senior officials. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek are also accompanying Gül on the trip, which will end Feb. 1.
