Amir, Erdogan to lay cornerstone of new Kuwait airport

KUWAIT: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday said he aimed to boost economic and military ties with Arab Gulf states, as talks on a free trade zone deal pushed ahead. Erdogan, who is expected in Kuwait today, said Ankara was involved in "high level strategic dialogue" with the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), KUNA reported. Erdogan also confirmed that talks on a free trade zone between Turkey and the GCC were underway.

During his visit, Erdogan and HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah are expected to lay the foundation stone of a $4.3-billion airport expansion project awarded to Turkish firm Limak Holding. The expansion will triple capacity to 25 million passengers over the next six years, and is the largest contract to date for a Turkish company in Kuwait. Erdogan said Turkish firms were involved in projects worth a total $6.5 billion in the state.

Trade volume between the two countries was $1.3 billion last year, with Turkish exports representing $431 million, Erdogan said. Turkey's trade volume with the GCC states - Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE - is currently around $17 billion, up from $1.7 billion in 1999. - AFP