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Anadolu Agency
IZMIR
Turkey, Qatar and Iran intend to discuss land trade routes on the sidelines of the oath-taking ceremony of Iran's president-elect Hassan Rouhani on Saturday amid the ongoing Gulf crisis, Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci said on Friday.
"We're thinking about alternatives for land trade routes with Qatar. The easiest way is will be through Iran," Zeybekci told Anadolu Agency.
On June 5, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt abruptly severed diplomatic relations with Qatar and imposed a blockade on it.
"We want to meet all of Qatar's needs. We want all goods providers in Turkey to sell products, including cleaning materials, domestic appliances and textile, in Qatar," Zeybekci said.
He said using cargo planes to carry products was not sustainable.
"We want to make it (transportation) economic, sustainable and reliable," he added.
"Shipment by sea will gain importance. We foresee that at least four large tonnage ships would go to Qatar monthly but the land route is an alternative for carrying flexible and smaller packages," Zeybekci added.
Trade between Turkey and Qatar increased in June and July, Zeybekci said, adding:"We have to make this increase permanent."
Turkey's exports to Qatar totaled $52.4 million in Junefrom $36.2 million in May 2017. Turkey's imports from Qatar amounted to $23.7 million in June, compared to $19.6 million in May.
