Riza Nur Meral is the President of TUSKON, Turkey's largest non-government confederation of businessmen and industrialists. He shares with us his views on the emerging relationship between India and Turkey as well as the defining characteristics of a Turkish businessman.

Turkey and India are in the midst of strengthening their trade relationship. What has been your experience of India so far?

This is my third visit to India. My first visit was in 1997. I attended a business fair in Delhi. The vast development that has taken place during the last 11 years is astonishing. India is still growing and has so much more to offer. I would like my family to experience India as well. The culture and aura permeating through this land is enchanting. We believe that India and Turkey are the rising stars of the world. We believe that both countries will have a significant influence on the future of the global economy. We know that India is inclined towards peace, friendship and dialogue. We are currently trying to generate interest towards India amongst Turkish businesses and communities. The insufficient relationship of the past between our two countries will soon be forgotten. I believe we share many common traits with the Indian community. We realize this more and more with each visit to India. As we continue to learn about each other, social, cultural and business relations will automatically develop as well.

What is TUSKON and how did its relationship with India develop?
TUSKON is Turkey's largest non-government confederation of businessmen and industrialists. It encompasses 151 different groups and 11,870 members.Our summits and conferences play an important role in facilitating the direct interaction of businessmen from a wide region under a single roof, especially for those who lack the human and financial resources to do this on their own. This allows small and medium-sized entrepreneurial enterprises to compete with their conglomerate rivals in terms of networking and marketing. Our next summit will be the Turkey-Asia Pacific Foreign Trade Bridge Programme. We have invited businessmen and ambassadors from 22 countries including India. It will be held during June17-18, 2008. This will be the second such meeting. The first one took place about eighteen months ago and was very successful. Such summits are useful because it creates a platform for the exchange and creation of ideas. As the dynamics of the world economy change significantly, these summits encourage the idea of local solutions to global problems.We began relations with India two years ago through a conference hosted by the Indo-Turkish Business Association in Mumbai. We then invited an Indian delegation to Turkey about a year ago. Our current visit to India is part of the campaign to develop this relationship. Through solidarity we believe we both can continue to grow and focus on the goals ahead.

What is Turkey's current trade and economic profile and how do you foresee India's contribution as trade relations develop?
Turkey's machinery industry is quite developed and we emphasize training so as to evolve with the advancement of technology. The textile industry, Turkey's largest manufacturing sector, is centred in Izmir, Istanbul, Adana, and Kayseri. Turkey's largest industry is petroleum refining. We have very limited energy resources.Turkey produced less than 8% of its oil consumption in 2001 but because of our strategic location between Europe and Asia, oil consumers and oil producers, Turkey is crossed by several major oil and gas pipelines.Fifty-six percent of our trade is with Europe. The removal of European Union (EU) quotas on imports of textiles and apparel when Turkey joined in a customs union with the EU in 1996 has greatly improved growth and future prospects. We are currently negotiating our full membership to the European Union, which will offer even greater opportunities. We would like to diversify our markets because we realize that the sun is now rising from the East. The weight of the world's economy is shifting from West to East. We should be here with our Indian friends and unite our causes while growing together. In India, the IT sector is highly advanced. We think both countries can complement each other and strengthen both economies.

What are the defining characteristics of a Turkish businessman?
Turkish businessmen are very dynamic. They are active participants in business undertakings throughout the world. They enjoy taking risks. They are very serious, knowledgeable and reliable. Reliability is the most important characteristic in business as relationships are built on trust. I believe our Indian friends can always trust their Turkish partners. Turkish contracting companies have been very successful worldwide. We are third in the global contracting sector; behind the United States and China. There are 22 Turkish companies within the top 200 global contracting companies. Turkish contractors are capable of doing the most advanced and high-calibre projects. In that respect we can contribute to the infrastructure and development of India. One of our companies, for example, has constructed 10 top-grade airports throughout the world in 18 months. These were huge projects but all shared a focus on high quality and cost-effectiveness.

What are the roles of emerging economies, such as Africa, in your economic outlook?
Our agenda is not only to invest in Turkey or in India, but to work together in other countries as well. Turkey is becoming very active in the African market. Our aim is to increase the Turkish-African trade volume from the current US$ 10 billion to US$ 25 billion. Turkish businessmen have invested heavily in Africa since the first Turkey-Africa trade summit held last year, with investments exceeding US$ 500 million. Turkey has also signed ten free trade agreements with African nations. It is time for the world to realize the untapped potential of Africa.

How do you envision the relationship between India and Turkey 10 years from now?
We lack the patience to wait for 10 years. Our current total trade with India is $2.6 billion. We should increase it to $6 billion by 2010. This is very possible given the dynamic nature of Indian and Turkish businessmen. The initial impetus should trigger continuous growth for the following decades. The next ten years will be just the beginning of the potential I foresee for both countries.

What effect does Turkey's tourism market have on its economy?
Tourism constitutes an important part of Turkey's economy. International tourism increased substantially between 2002 and 2005, from 12.8 million to 21.2 million visitors. Turkey is currently the 8th most popular tourist destination in the world. Last year 23 million tourists visited Turkey and spent USD $23 billion. Istanbul will also be proclaimed as the European Cultural Capital in 2010. We are greatly anticipating this event. It is an opportunity for us to showcase our potential to the world. It will increase global interest in Turkey and it will contribute very significantly to its economy.

Which places and what activities would you recommend to a tourist visiting Turkey?

Visitors must experience and explore Istanbul at length if possible. Its balance of tradition and development is a sight to behold. The historical relevance of Istanbul is very important. Being at the crossroads of continents and cultures, the city has seen the tide of history wash over it many times. The Aegean and Mediterranean coasts of Turkey offer pristine beaches, cruises and many other ways to escape the hectic lifestyles of the city. For the historically-minded traveller, the ruins of ancient cities and civilizations dot the landscape throughout Turkey. The unique environment of the Cappadocia area is also worthwhile to experience. There are many historical and beautiful sites to appreciate in Turkey. We invite and welcome the people of India to enjoy these wonders with us.

Lastly, your message to the readers:
Turkey is very much like India. It is a land of kind and hospitable people. Please consider Turkey as one of your destinations. You will experience new people, new lands and new cultures but at the same time it will feel like home. I invite all your readers to Turkey to have a memorable experience of our wonderful country.
 

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