Turkey’s ambassador says ties with Syria are example

Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary ambassador of Turkey Ahmet Oguz Celikkol told SANA on the 81st anniversary of the Turkish republic establishment he was happy for the development that ties have been seeing in a short time and the level they have reached to.

" We can say ties have become an example to be followed by other states.. the Syrian leadership is backing the ties upgrading more and more which is in the two countries interest," the Turkish ambassador said.

Ambassador Celikkol pointed out that more than 45 visits have been made on the ministerial level for the last four years in which many accords that are making the legal ground for the bilateral ties inked.

He said facilities granted by the Syrian government to Turkey’s businessmen have helped to increase Turkish investment companies in Syria when these investments exceeded $ 150 million in the last years.

Turkey is a main participant at exhibitions held in Syria as there is an increasing exchange partaking by the two sides. Turkey was the biggest participant at the International Exhibition for Arab Tourism that took place between September 30 and 3 October this year in Damascus with 22 companies representation.

As for energy, the Turkish Ministry of Energy and the Syrian Oil Ministry formed joint workshops in the field of gas, oil, fuels, phosphates, Iron and the first of which was held in Damascus.

Regarding civil aviation, Syria and Turkey decided to raise the number of flights between them from four weekly to six as they decided to activate the maritime line where two naval voyages are to be made every week between Marsine and Lattakia ports.

An Honorary Turkish Consulate opened doors in Lattakia on the Syrian coast last July and a Syrian Consul late is to be opened in Turkish Eintab city near the northern borders.

President Bashar Al-Assad’s historical visit to Turkey last December has posed as qualitative and strategic improvement for ties between Syria and Turkey on the bilateral and regional levels. Historical ties and joint interest are linking the two states, a matter that gave boost to this remarkable development.