ISTANBUL — Minister of Finance Mehmet Simsek, speaking on his return from a tour of Gulf countries, said the region's countries were geared toward Turkey's bright future and continue to trust in its potential.

Turkey's Minister of Finance Mehmet Şimşek emphasized investors in the Gulf are geared toward Turkey's bright future and continue to trust in the country's potential. Şimşek returned from a five day visit to Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates to attract more investment to Turkey.

Within the context of the visits, Şimşek met state organizations, banks and international investors that manage a total of nearly $1.3 trillion (TL 2.7 trillion) in assets. Şimşek stated that the Turkish delegation presented the medium- and long-term investment opportunities in Turkey to the institutions and investors.

The minister added that, through the meetings, they prevented a negative outlook about Turkey. Even though the current political situation in Turkey and the loss in value of the lira caused hesitation for some investors, Turkey is still an investment hotspot. "There is huge potential in the long run. I can say that the meetings were highly positive. We will reap the fruits of it in the future," he said.