Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications Rasim Ljajić met today in Istanbul with the Turkish Minister of Economy Nihat Zeybekci, with whom he discussed the further enhancement of bilateral economic cooperation, as well as further liberalization of the free trade regime between the two countries.

The Deputy Prime Minister Ljajić emphasized the need for sunflower oil to be among the products that Serbia exports to Turkey in the duty free regime. Ljajić added that some countries of the region are in a privileged position in this respect, since they export oil to the Turkish market in a duty free regime, while the rate of duty for Serbian exporters of oil amounts to 36 percent.

Minister Zekbeyci and Deputy Prime Ljajić agreed to soon initiate talks between expert teams of two sides in order to harmonize further liberalization of the free trade regime and that by the end of the year, an agreement is expected to be reached on the types of goods to which the duty free regime between Serbia and Turkey will expand.

It was also agreed that a meeting of the Trilateral Committee for economic cooperation of Serbia, Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina will take place in October, when a commercial and tourist representation of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in Istanbul will also be opened.

The possibilities for financial aid from Turkey in the implementation of some infrastructure projects in Serbia were also discussed at the meeting.