Eurasian Economic Summit calls for better cooperation

The 12th Eurasian Economic Summit presented by the Marmara Foundation concluded its meeting with a joint statement. A house organ will be published quarterly in English and will contain the opinions of a select group of statesmen from the Eurasian region, according to the decisions made in the summit. The Vienna Economic Forum and the Marmara Foundation will jointly organize their activities according to a memorandum of understanding as well.

The importance of the Nabucco project was stressed in the summit and the ties of friendship and cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey were emphasized as a model partnership. This partnership, also including Georgia, will be strengthened with the implementation of the Nabucco project.

The Eurasian Economic Summits’ significant contributions to world peace were praised by both the European Union and the Commonwealth of the Independent States. From now on, these organizations will have a higher level of participation at the summit meetings.

The 13th Eurasian Economic Summit will be held May 5 to 7, 2010. A coordination committee is to be established to specify next year’s agenda. Because next year is the 25th anniversary of the Marmara Foundation, a wider-ranging organizational committee is to be established.

High level guests

Nine presidents, two incumbent and seven former, attended the 12th Eurasian Economic Summit. One vice president, two deputy speakers of Parliament and 24 Cabinet ministers representing 41 different countries also participated. Moreover, 23 members of Parliament were present during the 12th Eurasian Economic Summit. For the first time, 18 different international organizations attended the meeting.

Turkey was represented at the acting president level because President Abdullah Gül was abroad on an official visit. Parliament Speaker Köksal Toptan was the acting president attending the summit and spoke on the occasion. Taner Yıldız, Turkish minister of energy and natural resources, and Professor Veysel Eroğlu, the minister of environment and forestry were present at the summit, during which the Turkish government was represented by Ertuğrul Günay, culture and tourism minister. Deputies Orhan Erdem, Mustafa Kabakçı and Reha Çamuroğlu from the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, Tuğrul Türkeş and Ertuğrul Kumcuoğlu from the Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, and Ahmet Tan from the Democratic Left Party, or DSP, were among the participants.

The Kyrgyz Republic was represented at the deputy prime minister level with the participation of three cabinet ministers from that country. During the Special Forum on the Kyrgyz Republic, investment opportunities in this country were identified and the republic’s high expectations of Turkish entrepreneurial interest in a tender for two huge energy power plants were emphasized. The secretary-general of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, attended the summit as a representative of China. He made a brief presentation on behalf of Expo 2010 Shanghai and invited Turkish businessmen to China.