Turkish, Russian customs row to end within a week
Posted by meb at September 5th, 2008
Turkish and Russian customs officials said on Friday that the recent dispute that erupted after Russian customs imposed tighter controls on Turkish exports is expected to be solved within a week after the signing of a protocol for simplified customs relations.
Turkish customs undersecretariat officials headed by Deputy Prime Minister Hayati Yazici and head of Russian Federation’s customs service, Andrei Belianinov and his deputy Igor Zahrazhnov met in Istanbul.
“The officials from both parties will meet in Moscow next week and the problems at customs will be solved following the signing of protocol,” Yazici said at a joint press conference with Russian officials.
The recent developments have been exaggerated by press, although the studies on the simplified customs relations were being developed were for the protection Turkish producers, Belianinov said adding that a lot of foreign made goods, which were not produced in Turkey, were being exported to Russia as Turkish products.
“This was harming Turkish producers,” Belianinov added.
He also said that he had not received any instructions to implement discriminatory procedures on Turkish goods at Russian customs, as previously reported by some media organs.
Russia Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had earlier said Russian customs authorities were working to simplify their bilateral customs system and would meet again soon during his recent visit to Turkey on Tuesday.
Hundreds of trucks transporting Turkish exports to Russia have been held at the country’s checkpoints for up to four weeks, costing exporters billions of dollars in losses.
The row has triggered speculation that Russia is trying to punish Turkey for allowing U.S. warships carrying aid to Georgia to pass through the Bosporus to the Black Sea.
source: Hurriyet daily
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