21.02.2014 Australia
Speaking to Anatolian Agency and TRT Turk during the signing ceremony for the foundation of the Australian - Turkish Business Council by the Foreign Economic Relations Council (DEİK) and the Australian Industry Group (AIG), TOBB/DEİK President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the Turkish business community is a latecomer in discovering Australia.
Stating that they have signed the agreement
for the founding of the Turkey - Australia Business Council, Hisarcıklıoğlu
reported that DEİK has bilateral business council agreements with 102 countries
and that business councils have done an extraordinary job.
Hisarcıklıoğlu expressed their desire as DEİK
to further develop Turkey's foreign trade by increasing business councils with
other countries and said, "In point of fact, Australia presents us with
great opportunities. Unfortunately, until today, we've neglected it due to the
great distance between us. It is in fact one of the largest economies in the
world but we are not selling any goods there. The greatest advantage for us is
that Australia is not an industrial country; it exports its natural resources -
which it is quite rich in. We are an industrial country, that is why there are
great opportunities for Turkey, its industry and the Turkish industrialists.
Turkey is the largest industrialist between
Italy and China. In this regard, there is great potential for us.
I believe that the Business Council will
increase the bilateral trade figures between Turkey and Australia in the coming
term. Today, our bilateral trade volume stands at around 400-500 million USD.
Increasing this to 1 billion, 2 billion USD should be a simple matter. That is
why we are here."
Emphasizing the importance of the agreement
signed between Australia and Turkey, the DEİK Asia Pacific Vice President and
businessman Mehmet Ali Karamemiş said, "Despite the fact that both
countries are G20 members, a trade volume of 1.5 billion USD is too low. It is
my hope that, with the support of this agreement, it will reach 5-6 billion
USD."