Trade relations between Germany and Turkey carry great potential: Merkel

ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) and Turkish President Abdullah Gül (L). DHA photo

Trade relations between Germany and Turkey have reached a higher level through steady increases and carry great potential for the future, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said today after meeting with Turkish President Abdullah Gül.

A large group of German business leaders are accompanying Merkel throughout her visit to Turkey, which is taking in the Anatolian provinces of Cappadocia, Gaziantep and Kahramanmaraş. She said the visits to such places would contribute positively to the cooperation between the two countries.

During the meeting, President Gül underlined the expansion of cooperation in every aspect of life, saying that Merkel’s visit would help strengthen the relations even further, according to an official report released by the Turkish Presidency on the presidential website.

Gül also highlighted that this was the 250th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Turkey and Germany, stressing the positive current state of bilateral relations.

Germany is Turkey’s number one trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching up to 35 billion dollars, Gül noted.

Merkel, along with Turkish Economy Minister Zafer Çağlayan, attended the second Turkish-German CEO Forum as part of her official visit. The event, jointly organized by the Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TÜSİAD) and the German Industrialists’ Federation (BDI), took place in Ankara.