Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications Minister Ahmet Arslan has said that relations between Qatar and Turkey continue to increase in many fields and that ties between the governments and the people of the two countries have further strengthened.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA) on relations between Turkey and Qatar as well as his visit to Doha on Nov. 5, Arslan said negotiations on the road transport agreement between Turkey, Iran and Qatar have neared completion, recalling that the route was determined and the draft agreement was prepared for the project.
"We clarified with Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Ahmad Akhoundi on Oct. 19 in Turkey that we agreed on the deal. Later on, Qatar's Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim bin Saif al-Sulaiti met with Minister Akhoundi and put forth the agreement in the same way," Arslan said. "Finally, we discussed our agreement with al-Sulaiti in Qatar and stated our consensus. A road transport agreement between Turkey, Iran and Qatar will soon be signed."
Stressing that instituting a road transport route to Qatar via Iran is of great importance for the three countries due to the crisis in Syria and Iraq, Arslan said that after the road transport agreement is signed, this project will be integrated with maritime transportation.
Regarding potential aviation cooperation, Arslan said both Turkish Airlines (THY) and Qatar Airways are transforming into worldwide brands and that these two companies should join forces in collaboration. Arslan suggested that new collaborations in the field of aviation would provide important opportunities for both countries, citing that after the first flight on Nov. 6, there will be three flights a week between Adana and Doha.
Arslan said that they discussed what has been done and what to do in transportation and communication, the free trade agreement and the combined transport agreement during the meeting with Sulaiti and his delegation,.
Prefacing that they visited Hamad Port, which has critical importance for Turkey and other countries in the region and has direct links with the ports in Turkey, Arslan said that products from Turkey will be distributed to the region through this port.
