By Erdal Celikel
KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait (AA) - Turkish Development Minister Lutfi Elvan said Tuesday that Turkish contractors were keen to bring their experiences to Kuwait's $150 billion mega projects in the next five years.
The minister's remarks came at a meeting with his Kuwaiti counterpart, Hind Subaih Barrak Al-Subaih.
"Kuwait is planning to complete within a five-year development plan 523 projects that are worth around $150 billion.
"We expect Minister Al-Subaih to support Turkish companies so that they can get a bigger share of these upcoming superstructure and infrastructure investment projects, especially the airport and subway projects," he said, adding Turkish contractors had so far completed approximately $6.3 billion projects in Kuwait.
Elvan praised Al-Subaih's significant contributions to Turkey-Kuwait relations, and said that the relations between the two ministries would continue to grow.
The Turkish minister also appreciated Kuwait's support for the democratically-elected Turkish government and approach against the July 15 thwarted coup in Turkey.
"They [Kuwaitis] announced in the very early hours [of the July 15 coup bid] that they stood against the coup attempt and supported the Turkish Government. I hereby would like to thank them again," he said.
Elvan was accompanied by a group of prominent Turkish business people on his Kuwait visit, including the chairman of Turkish Exporters Assembly, Mehmet Buyukeksi, chairman of Turkish Contractors Association, Mithat Yenigun and board chairman of Limak Group of Companies, Nihat Ozdemir.