DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
P R E S S  R E L E A S E
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SFA-AGR-071-07                                                                                                                                                            09 February 2007

Turkish Businessmen, Industrialists Invite DTI, DPWH Secretaries to Trade Bridge Meeting in Istanbul

9 February 2007 — Philippine Ambassador to Turkey Bahnarim A. Guinomla reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that the Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists of Turkey (TURKON) has extended invitations to Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila and Public Works and Highways Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane to participate in the Turkey-Pacific Foreign Trade Bridge program in Istanbul on 7 and 8 April 2007.

Mr. Kerem Aydin, TUSKON Asia-Pacific regional coordinator, informed Ambassador Guinomla that the event is designed to promote closer economic relations between Turkey and the countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

He said that, aside from Secretary Favila and Secretary Ebdane, Filipino businessmen and business journalists will also be invited to the program, which will feature a ministerial conference to provide an opportunity for the participating ministers of Turkey and the Asia-Pacific countries to engage each other during the event.

TUSKON is an umbrella organization of seven federations and 125 associations.  With a total membership of about 9,500, it is one of the largest business-oriented NGOs in Turkey .

Mr. Aydin said that the Turkey-Pacific Trade Bridge project is the third in a series of meetings organized by TUSKON with regional participants from both the public and private sectors.  Previously, TUSKON organized the Turkey-Africa and Turkey-Eurasia Foreign Trade Bridges , and both earlier ‘bridge’ programs have provided an opportunity for about 30,000 bilateral meetings resulting in business deals worth US$40 million.

He informed Ambassador Guinomla that, for the Turkey-Pacific Trade Bridge program, TUSKON expects to welcome around 50 ministers, government officials and journalists and around 250 businessmen from 15 different countries, including the Philippines .

The Ambassador reported that the invitations for Secretary Favila and Secretary Ebdane will be forwarded through the Embassy of Turkey in Manila .  END

/gret

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