Erdogan says ties with Central Asia invulnerable

Erdogan was addressing a meeting of representatives from the chambers of trade and industry of four Central Asian and Caucasian countries. He said enhanced cooperation among Turkey and the countries of the region would bring welfare and development to the peoples of the vast area.

He singled out bureaucratic obstacles as the biggest barrier for development of trade and economic cooperation among the regional countries.

The prime minister also said that there has been considerable improvement in trade and economic cooperation between Turkey and the countries of Central Asia and the Caucasus but added that there was still a lot to do as the level of cooperation was not yet satisfactory.