Press Release                     Date: 10/6/2008

The 3rd Turkish Arab Economic Forum
convenes next Thursday

In the presence of the Prime Minister of Turkey
and participation by the Prime Ministers of Qatar, Syria, Palestine, and Somalia

Finance, Economy, Tourism and Oil ministers
Along with 600 businessmen from 21 countries participating in the forum

The 3rd Turkish Arab Economic Forum, forum convenes its activities next Thursday June 12, at Ceylan Intercontinental Hotel. The forum will take place over two days with the participation of Prime Minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan; Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jaber Al Thani, Prime Minister of Syria Eng. Muhammad Naji Otri, Prime Minister of Palestine Dr. Salam Fayyad; the Prime Minister of Somalia Nur Hassan Hussein; the General Coordinator for the Arab Economic, Social, and Development Summit of League at the Arab States in addition to heads of many investment, banking economic and real estate companies from Turkey and the region, in addition to governors of central banks.

The First Turkish-Arab Financial Summit will be held in conjunction with the Forum and will be headed by the Minister of Finance in Turkey Kemal Unakitan. Arab Ministers of Finance, Economy, Trade and Industry will participate at the Summit. Amongst the Ministers, the Minister of Finance in Jordan, Dr. Hamed Kasasbeh; the Minister of Finance in Lebanon, Dr. Jihad Azour; the Minister of Finance in Syria, Dr. Mohamad Al Hussein; the Minister of Finance in Yemen Noman Al-Suhaibi; Minister of Investment in Mauritania, M. Sidi Mohamed Ould Amajar; Minister of State-Arab Affairs Relation in Libya, Mohamad Sialah; the Undersecretary of Ministry of Economy in UAE; Eng. Mohamed Ahmed Bin AbdulAziz and the Director General of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Saudi Arabia Dr. Saud Al Malaq.

The forum will discuss real estate and tourism issues as well as matters of energy and mineral resources, with the participation of the Turkish tourism minister and the Syrian energy minister, and key specialized companies in both sectors.

Mr. Raouf Abu Zaki, General Manager of Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal Group, the organizers of the Forum, announced that "the participation of five prime ministers and 11 Turkish ministers in addition to 600 businessmen and investors from Turkey and various Arab states points to the extent of interest in improving Turkish-Arab relations on various economic and political levels"

He said that the forum has become a permanent framework for regular meetings, an exchange of information, and the realization of mutual interests.

Mr. Abou Zaki added that this Forum which has been held annually over the last three years has become an established institution and a basis for secondary activities to boost Turkish-Arab relations whether at the level of country to country relationships or specific economic sectors, that are of interest to both sides.

The Forum is organized by Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal Group, in cooperation with the Finance Ministry, the Foreign Economic Relations Board in Turkey (DEIK) and the League of Arab States. For the third running year, the forum is held under the patronage of H.E. Recep Tayyib Erdogan, the Prime Minister of Turkey, and with the participation of prominent speakers from Turkey and the Arab world, along with policy makers, investors and leaders of major Arab, Turkish and international companies.

The event is sponsored by Oger Telecom, Saudi Cables, Bankmed, TBank, The National Commercial Saudi Bank, Turkish Finance, Yuksel Insaat, Kuveyt Turk Bank, and IS Investment.

The event will also be honoring notable Arab figures that head leading institutions operating in turkey since a considerable time.