Turkey to support Israel drive to join OECD

During the Joint Economic Commission Turkey has openly declared its support to Israel's drive to join the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development
 
Despite the strain in relations with Israel lately, Turkey and Israel signed on Tuesday memorandum of understanding during the Joint Economic Commission (JEC).
 
Within the framework of the agreement, Turkey has openly declared its support to Israel's drive to join the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
 
The Turkish commitment to support Israel's bid to gain membership to the OECD was made in advance of the final deliberations that are scheduled to take place in the first half of 2010.
 
The economic commission meeting dealt with issues pertaining to joint investments, assistance in banking and finance, ways to cooperate on research and development, agricultural cooperation and tourism deals.
 
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Turkish National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul said the decisions taken within the scope of the meeting would add a "new momentum" to relations between the two countries.
 
Israeli Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor, Binyamin Ben Eliezer, expressed Israel's willingness to work with Turkey and deepen relations. Turkey also wants to expand its free-trade agreement with Israel. Trade between the two countries is far from its potential, said Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul.
 
Israeli minister also said his country was willing to raise trade volume to 8 billion USD in 2 years. He noted that "We are dealing with two economies that are similar and belong to states that are close and share the same commercial challenges. We must take advantage of the physical and mental proximity in order to create interesting joint ventures that will assist in generating employment for both sides. Companies that will take advantage of the potential that lies in the relations between the countries, through agreements that were reached today and in the past, will be able to profit and succeed”.