03.03.2017 İslamabad / Pakistan
Speaking at the meeting of ECO-CCI members Turkey, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, TOBB President and ECO - CCI Board Member M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu emphasized need for cooperation in the region. Hisarcıklıoğlu urged abolishing protectionist policies of ECO countries; that visas be lifted; ECOTA and arbitration are put into practice; transportation is made safe and fast.
The Union of Chambers
and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) President and Economic Cooperation Organization
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ECO-CCI) Board Member M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu
urged ECO countries to increase cooperation, abolish protectionist policies and
lift visas, put ECOTA agreement and arbitration into practice. He stated that
the means of transportation should be made transparent, safe and fast.
ECO-CCI's 22nd
Executive Committee meeting was held in Islamabad, Pakistan's capital with the
attendances of its members - Turkey, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. TOBB President
and ECO - CCI Board Member M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu attended the meeting in
addition to Pakistan Trade Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan, President of ECO
Chamber of Commerce and Industry and President of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce
and Industry Zubair Tufail, Iranian Trade Industries Mines and Agriculture
Chamber President Gholamhossein Shafei, ECO Secretary General Halil İbrahim
Akça, TOBB Board Member Selçuk Öztürk, Marmaris Chamber of Commerce Chair Mehmet
Baysal, Çorum Commodity Exchange Chair Ali Bektaş and TOBB Women Entrepreneurs
Board Deputy Chair Ruhsar Pekcan.
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated
that increasing cooperation within the ECO region is not a development tool but
a necessity. Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “The global system is undergoing a very
different time. The codes of global economy and politics are changing
completely. Almost all economic and political developments affecting the world
are shaped around the ECO geography. This is both a risk and an opportunity for
us. We must read the process well and prepare well.”
TOBB President and
ECO - CCI Board Member Hisarcıklıoğlu noted that 15% of world oil reserves and
24% of natural gas reserves are located in the ECO region; all energy corridors
between Asia and Europe; all trade corridors pass through this region.
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the region has great advantages and that it is
necessary to increase trade by utilizing these advantages.
- ECOTA, visas, arbitration and transportation
Pointing out that
there are 4 important issues in front of them, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the
first important issue is the ECOTA agreement. Hisarcıklıoğlu, urging for ECOTA
to enter into effect, expressed that protectionist policies would not increase
prosperity, but would, quite to the contrary, decrease it.
Hisarcıklıoğlu
pointed out the visa issue as the second important matter, “We should not
forget the three step rule of economy. Visit, trade, then invest. People will trade
with the countries they are most comfortable with entering and leaving, not
with the countries they face difficulties in. We want visas to be lifted.”
Expressing that the third important issue is arbitration, Hisarcıklıoğlu said,
“The issue of arbitration is very important in increasing trade and investments,
as investors and traders want predictability before everything else.”
Regarding this issue,
President of TOBB and Member of ECO-CCI Board of Directors M. Rifat
Hisarcıklıoğlu said that, “If we make our trade routes transparent, safe and
fast, we will increase our own trade and become the center of trade between
Asia and Europe.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu
pointed out the importance of customs clearance to be fast, transparent and
standardized; reminding that they want all ECO countries to benefit from TOBB’s
extensive experience in this field.