Gul, Nikolić announce "big Turkish investments"

ANKARA Serbian and Turkish presidents Tomislav Nikolic and Abdulah Gulsaid have announced that the time has come for the two countries to intensify mutual cooperation. Speaking in Ankara on Monday, they also announced "a real boom when it comes to Turkish investments in Serbia". Gul, Nikolic announce "big Turkish investments" Nikolic and Gul met behind closed doors to discuss economic cooperation, Turkish investments in infrastructural projects in Serbia and Turkey's influence on the stability in the Balkans. As for the investments, Gul announced that concrete steps for promoting cooperation have already been taken and that progress was visible immediately after the signing of the free trade agreement, and added that Turkish and Serbian companies are working together on a project of building a highway through Serbia on Corridor 10, towards the Adriatic Sea. There will be an economic boom and an explosion in the coming . Economic cooperation will intensify, Gul said. He called on all Turkish investors interested in investing in Serbia to make investments. "I personally encourage them to invest and I say that all this will be part of a development that will contribute to the development of our bilateral relations," Gul noted. Although Serbia and Turkey do not share a border, we consider Serbia as our close neighbor, the president pointed out. President Nikolic said that he and his Turkish counterpart both agreed that they will be partially satisfied only when trade reaches a billion euros. He added that Serbia is open for investments from Turkey, arrival of big Turkish companies, construction of infrastructure, granting concessions on electricity production. "Our friendship is exceeding our economic exchange. Perhaps it should be like that. It is better for friendship to produce economic exchange, than for economic exchange to produce friendship," Nikolic stressed. He also said that Turkey can be the stability factor in the Balkans. "We will cooperate in every action aiming at this goal," the Serbian president said. Answering the questions of journalists, the two presidents spoke about efforts of their countries to integrate into the EU, citing this as one more thing that connects Serbia and Turkey. Nikolic pointed out that he believes that his and Gul's duty's is for the two countries to arrange this, but that EU membership will not depend only on them after that. Serbia is committed to EU path and will meet all conditions a country can meet in order to become a member, but this does not mean that we will not have high-level bilateral relations with other international organizations, Nikolic concluded. Abdullah Gul hosted a gala dinner on Monday evening for Serbia's state delegation headed by President Nikolic. The dinner, which took place at the presidential palace in Ankara, brought together members of the two governments, MPs, prominent public figures, businessmen of the two countries, and Serbia's athletes playing for Turkish clubs. (Beta/AP) Tanjug

Gul, Nikolić announce "big Turkish investments"

Nikolić and Gul met behind closed doors to discuss economic cooperation, Turkish investments in infrastructural projects in Serbia and Turkey's influence on the stability in the Balkans.

As for the investments, Gul announced that concrete steps for promoting cooperation have already been taken and that progress was visible immediately after the signing of the free trade agreement, and added that Turkish and Serbian companies are working together on a project of building a highway through Serbia on Corridor 10, towards the Adriatic Sea.

There will be an economic boom and an explosion in the coming . Economic cooperation will intensify, Gul said.

He called on all Turkish investors interested in investing in Serbia to make investments.

"I personally encourage them to invest and I say that all this will be part of a development that will contribute to the development of our bilateral relations," Gul noted.

Although Serbia and Turkey do not share a border, we consider Serbia as our close neighbor, the president pointed out.

President Nikolić said that he and his Turkish counterpart both agreed that they will be partially satisfied only when trade reaches a billion euros.

He added that Serbia is open for investments from Turkey, arrival of big Turkish companies, construction of infrastructure, granting concessions on electricity production.

"Our friendship is exceeding our economic exchange. Perhaps it should be like that. It is better for friendship to produce economic exchange, than for economic exchange to produce friendship," Nikolić stressed.

He also said that Turkey can be the stability factor in the Balkans.

"We will cooperate in every action aiming at this goal," the Serbian president said.

Answering the questions of journalists, the two presidents spoke about efforts of their countries to integrate into the EU, citing this as one more thing that connects Serbia and Turkey.

Nikolić pointed out that he believes that his and Gul's duty's is for the two countries to arrange this, but that EU membership will not depend only on them after that.

Serbia is committed to EU path and will meet all conditions a country can meet in order to become a member, but this does not mean that we will not have high-level bilateral relations with other international organizations, Nikolić concluded.

Abdullah Gul hosted a gala dinner on Monday evening for Serbia's state delegation headed by President Nikolić.

The dinner, which took place at the presidential palace in Ankara, brought together members of the two governments, MPs, prominent public figures, businessmen of the two countries, and Serbia's athletes playing for Turkish clubs.