'Turkish Cypriot firms to benefit from Turk Eximbank'

By Aysenur Saglam and Ayse Bocuoglu Bodur

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' (TRNC) firms should benefit from support extended by Turk Eximbank, Turkish Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan said on Friday.

"Turk Eximbank provides credit support to TRNC based firms, its door is open for TRNC's exporters," the minister said, speaking at the Turkey-TRNC Chamber of Commerce Forum in capital Ankara.

Turkey supports TRNC in several areas such as infrastructure and superstructure projects, tourism, and education, Pekcan noted.

She said TRNC-origin products are exported to Turkey without any obstacle.

"We continue to work to improve trade and economic relations between Turkey and TRNC," she added.

Ozdil Nami, TRNC's economy and energy minister, said TRNC's imports from Turkey were $1.8 billion last year while exports to Turkey were $105 million.

He said that Turkish lira should be used in bilateral trade between Turkey and TRNC.

Rifat Hisarciklioglu, president of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), said that Turkish business community wanted to make more investment in TRNC and improve bilateral trade.

TRNC's agriculture sector should be developed and TRNC entrepreneurs need to make more production, he noted.