Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, Mr. Ahmet Davutoğlu delivered a speech at the meeting entitled “Foreign Economic Relations and Diplomacy” organized by Foreign Economic Relations Board in İstanbul on March 9, 2013.

Foreign Minister Davutoğlu said that the power of Turkish people lies at the root of Turkey’s great leap forward in the last 10 years and within this framework, the businessmen are one of the most important actors.

Drawing attention that private sector developed in parallel with democracy Foreign Minister Davutoğlu said “If there is no democracy, if democratic freedoms are constrained, if movement of goods and people and latitude of thought is restricted private sector could not develop.”

Foreign Minister Davutoğlu stated that restoration efforts during the last years had three important aspects and named them as democratization and expansion of freedoms; economic restoration and enhancing the efficacy of foreign policy all around the world. He emphasized that if one of these aspects failed others could not be succeeded.

Stressing that Turkey aimed to be among the world’s top 10 economies in 2013, Foreign Minister Davutoğlu said that in this context, Turkish businessmen should expand their business geographies. Recalling that visa exemption agreements were signed with many countries to this end Foreign Minister Davutoğlu said “With respect to the borders integration of our economic areas…integration by energy policies….integration by transportation policies…for this purpose we abolish visas.”

Pointing that the EU is one of the most important components of Turkey’s geographical opening in terms of economy Foreign Minister Davutoğlu said that Turkey’s export to the EU totaled 12,5 billion dollars in 1996 and this figure now reached to 59,2 billion dollars. Touching on the negotiations between the U.S. and the EU concerning Transatlantic Investment and Trade Partnership Foreign Minister Davutoğlu emphasized that limitation of this Partnership to the U.S. and the EU only would be conflicting with the transatlantic concept and Turkey should be a part of the Partnership.

“Last year, our trade with Syria has decreased significantly” underlined Foreign Minister Davutoğlu saying that between 2011 and 2012, Turkey’s foreign trade with the Middle East increased 33.5 percent and exports to the region reached 38.6 billion dollars which marked a 55.9 percent increase.

Foreign Minister Davutoğlu stated that Turkey aimed to be a member of all international economic organizations in the world and to sign free trade agreements with these organizations.