Turkey’s exports have been growing..

State Minister Kursat Tuzmen stated yesterday that Turkey would continue to increase trade with its neighbours and would raise the rate of 11 percent to 30 percent.

"When you compare the first 7 months of 2003 with the same period last year, a 55 percent increase in exports with close neighbours was recorded. Our exports with neighbour countries are worth US$5-6 billion."

Growth in external commerce not only means an increase in Turkey’s income but also in its neighbours’ incomes. Tuzmen said, "Countries with 2 billion dollars in trade do not have problems. We try to achieve this."

In order to meet some of Iraq’s needs, exports from Turkey have reached U$220 million. Stating that exports to Iraq would be worth $1 billion dollars by the end of the year, Minister Tuzmen added that it was good to know that the United Nations (UN) approved US$430 million worth of contracts and said Turkish firms would sign many business contracts in Iraq in the following months.