Mexico and Turkey speed up trade talks

President Enrique Peña Nieto (R) shakes hands with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Mexico City Thursday. NOTIMEX PHOTO/SPECIAL

Peña Nieto receives Erdogan to discuss bilateral ties

thenews.mx

Mexico and Turkey plan to consolidate a free trade agreement this year and reach a bilateral exchange of $5 billion annually in the following years.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto offered a joint message Thursday saying their countries are greatly interested in strengthening bilateral ties to bring prosperity to their respective nations.

As part of the 2015 bilateral agenda, Turkey and Mexico will establish a binational high-level commission and Mexico will set up an exhibition about Maya culture in Ankara.

The bilateral commission will follow up on developmental and economic growth projects in order to ensure the population of the countries benefit, Peña Nieto said.

The presidents signed a Mexico-Turkey joint declaration. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Çavusoglu and Mexican Foreign Relations Secretary José Antonio Meade Kuribreña acted as witnesses.

Turkey and Mexico are aiming to increase bilateral trade to $5 billion annually in the future. This is a viable goal, considering that 12 years ago bilateral trade barely reached $1.2 million, but it’s now $1.5 billion annually, Erdogan said.

Erdogan and Peña Nieto signed a memorandum of understanding on archaeology, anthropology and the protection and preservation of cultural heritage. Sharing the countries’ experiences in tourism is important, as Mexico and Turkey are popular world tourist destinations, Peña Nieto said.

Erdogan told Peña Nieto that Turkey and Mexico should eliminate tourist visa requirements in order to increase the flow of tourists between the two countries.

The nations should explore the possibility of opening a direct commercial flight route from Turkey to Mexico, via Havana, Cuba.

Turkey plans to discuss signing a free-trade agreement with the Pacific Alliance, as well as signing a free-trade agreement with Mexico, Erdogan said.