Despite not being in statics, border and
suitcase trade is important from the point of view our country. Besides ,Turkey leads the
top in foreign trae of Syria. Almost all of our export is made with private sector. In
other word, 40% of Syria import is made by government and hardly any do we export to this
sector.For that reason, when our export related to Syria is thought to be in import
that private sector makes, our country’s share becomes higher. Just as, Syrian firms
know about our country’s industrialization level, like quality and standars of our
products and define the prices reasonable. In Syria market, the demand for our country’s
products are always important Syria imports from our country goods such as natural oil
synthetic thread, iron- steel products, cement lead the top. In recent years, remarkable
increases have been observed in the export of chemical product and machine equipment.
Syrian private sector investors’s capital is
inadequate. So they had inclined to small-scale investments. This situation makes our
country’s investment goods more important than computerized, large scale developed
country’s investment goods. Syrians make use of geographical proximity to our country
and when buying machine-equipment and spare parts they prefer Turkey instead of others. In
Syria’s industrialization strategy and about import subsititution, in state of
encouraging our firms and directed them to Syria market, our export, first of all in
machine equipment, with this country will increase remarkably. With the help of mutual
investments in food sector, which will be set about in Syria, it is possibke for our
country to have an importmant place permanently in Middle East market, and fullfil the
technology transfer with this sector. Still ,despite being in very small-scale, our firms
have communal investment enterprises with Syrian firms in Aleppo and Damascus. We
import, firstly crude petrol, crude cotton, wheat and crude leather from this counry. It’s
because of crude petrol that there has been an increase in the export with this country.
Generally for agricultural products our firms are interested in Syria goods. Especially
wheat and cotton are prefered by our firms.
Assuring the development of the trade between two
countries, active continuity should be provided for public adjudication. Private
enterprises import nearly 35-40% of Syrian total import volume. So these Adjudications are
very important. Because of the high expenditures of security letters and bank procedures,
our firms are generally reluctant to participate in adjudications. Long-termed cheap
credit possibilities should be searched, for public adjudications or to enable Turk firms
active in the Joint Venture investments that will be made in Syria. Between two countries,
possibilities in transportation area should be improved. Transit passing fees, through
Syria, are high (nearly 1500$) Turk trucks carrying goods from Syria pay almost 250-270$
entry fee.
And this,
brings 10-12$ burden for each ton. Altough our prices are more responable when it is
compared with our rivals, we have less opportunity for rivalry in the market, because they
transport their goods via sea. When it is considered that the way to gulf countries
via Iraq is close, an extensive treatry, which will be drawn up with Syria about
transportation, will also be useful for Middle East export. On this matter, on May 1999
Mixed Transportation Meeting was held and between these two countries was drawn up about
land, air, sea and railway transportation.
Connected
establishment carry on meeting on technical level. In 11.7.1999 Syria signed TIR treaty
but this treaty hasn’t been put into practice yet. In Syria, banking is under control of
government, and there is no treaty with any of the countries. Transfers are generally made
via 3rd. countries and it takes time. For that reason, banking agreement should be made.
In foreign trade of Syria, Turkey is one of the countries leading the top five. And then,
in foreign trade is ranked in 30th-40th. In other word, our country is important for
Syria. Geographical proximity and profound historical links between two countries play an
important role for the improvement of trade. In this frame; the trade with Syria should be
considered as special. Syria is the only country among Middle East countries that can
transfer technology. From the point of view that Syria makes up a permanent and spreading
market in the Middle East countries, and it is important for our country.
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