By Nevine Khalil President Hosni Mubarak arrived in Ankara on Saturday for a two-day visit amid much pomp and ceremony. He stayed at a palace in the presidential complex, which is rarely offered to heads of state, in the Turkish capital, and was awarded the highest Order of the Turkish Republic by his counterpart Suleiman Demirel. Mubarak met with Demirel almost half a dozen times during the visit and, in a demonstration of fraternity, the two planted a sapling outside Mubarak's residence. The state visit followed on the heels of a successful Egyptian exercise in shuttle diplomacy last October to avert a military confrontation between Turkey and Syria, after Ankara objected to the support given by Damascus to separatist Kurdish rebels. Analysts said the overtly warm reception Mubarak received and the intense discussions aimed at bolstering economic and political bonds, appeared to be the harbinger for stronger ties between Turkey, a secular Islamic state, and Arab countries. Diplomats agreed. Foreign Minister Amr Moussa said there will be "concrete and positive progress in Arab-Turkish relations" in the near future. He stressed the "strategic value" of closer ties between Turkey and the Arabs, which he said would benefit both sides. Ankara's decision to settle its dispute with Damascus through negotiation and a security agreement, and Turkey's warm tribute to Cairo were said to have opened the door for improved Turkish-Arab relations. But Moussa cautioned that the historic ties which connect Ankara with Arab capitals "lack a united political vision" in order to solve regional problems, such as Middle East peace-making and the crisis in Iraq. Turkey's relations with the Arab world have been strained as a result of Ankara's growing economic and military ties with Israel, which tipped the balance of power in the region in their favour. With Mubarak by his side, however, Demirel called all Arab countries "brothers" and said cooperation with Israel did not threaten any of them. Mubarak earlier defended what is viewed in Turkey as Egypt's double standards for criticising Ankara's ties with Israel, when Cairo and Tel Aviv are bound by a peace treaty. "It is true that we have relations with Israel, but we do not stage joint military exercises and do not cooperate militarily," Mubarak said in a television interview. He added that Ankara should improve relations with its Arab neighbours, declaring that if hostilities had broken out in October, the Arab world would have sided with Damascus. "The Arab countries would have been forced to take the side of Syria," he said. On his arrival, Mubarak delivered a message of reconciliation from Syrian President Hafez Al-Assad to Demirel, who welcomed it publicly. While Demirel told Mubarak that Damascus needs to do more to improve relations with Ankara, Turkish officials confided that Ankara would soon turn a new leaf in its relations with Syria. It is possible that the neighbouring countries may launch a joint agricultural project. Closer cooperation, however, will be kept on hold until Syria "completely fulfils" its commitments under the security agreement signed in October, which the Turkish president said "must operate better". Demirel added that it was "too early" for him to meet with Assad. Under the agreement, Syria pledged to stop supporting Kurdish rebels, who are fighting for autonomy in south-east Turkey, and expelled the group's leader Abdullah Ocalan. But Ankara also wants to "clear the remnants of past incidents to start a new era in relations between Turkey and Syria", according to Demirel. As well as political advisers, Mubarak was accompanied on his visit by the ministers of economy and trade and a large group of businessmen, who were there to demonstrate the leading role the private sector is playing in economic reform. Mubarak met with businessmen on both sides, and he and Demirel established a joint committee, headed by their foreign ministers, which will meet twice a year to coordinate policy. It was also agreed that the ministers of trade and economy will meet twice a year, beginning on 17 December in Ankara. On Sunday, Mubarak told representatives of the private sector that they needed to increase joint ventures and investment and that meetings between both sides should be more regular. "Across the globe, it is time for the private sector to take charge," he said. "Our energies are now focused on increasing investment and exports, and the private sector is fully involved." Egyptian Trade Minister Ahmed Geweili said Mubarak's visit was "the propelling force" for both the government and private sector to promote economic relations with Turkey. An agreement was reached regarding tariffs between the two countries, the creation of a free-trade zone, the allocation of two zones, one in the Gulf of Suez for Turkish products and one on the Black Sea for Egyptian products. Turkey is the gateway to the Asian markets of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), while Egypt, a member of the Economic Community of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), is a channel to African markets. Both sides agreed to increase the $704 million bilateral trade volume to $1 billion by 2000, and double that figure in 2005. A deal will be agreed to export 10 billion cubic metres of natural gas a year from Egypt to Turkey as soon as a price dispute is settled. Egypt's minister of oil is expected to visit Ankara soon to finalise the deal. Businessmen signed a memorandum of understanding for increased cooperation in various fields, including the industries of advanced technology, automotive parts, electronics, pharmaceuticals, chemicals and fertilisers, and construction.
