NEWS RELEASES
KNUTSON CONCLUDES TRADE MISSION TO BULGARIA AND TURKEY
May 23, 2003 (4:25 p.m. EDT) No. 68
KNUTSON CONCLUDES TRADE MISSION
TO BULGARIA AND TURKEY
Secretary of State (Central and Eastern Europe and Middle East) Gar Knutson today wrapped up a trade mission to Bulgaria
and Turkey where he assisted Canadian businesses in making valuable contacts with potential partners.
"Canada is a technology-oriented, well-educated and culturally diverse country that has a lot to offer Bulgaria and Turkey,"
said Mr. Knutson. "This trade mission not only demonstrated the promising trade and investment opportunities that exist
for Canadians in the region, but also outlined to Bulgarian and Turkish business people the tremendous advantages of
partnering with Canadian companies."
More than 25 Canadian businesses travelled with Mr. Knutson to Sofia, Bulgaria, and Istanbul and Ankara, Turkey, to seek
new commercial opportunities in a number of sectors including aerospace, energy, mining, information and
communications technology, agriculture and food products, health, construction and infrastructure and transportation.
During the mission, held from May 18 to 23, Mr. Knutson met with a number of ministers, senior officials and business
leaders.
In Bulgaria, Mr. Knutson was welcomed by Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Cobourg- Gotha. During their meeting, he
congratulated Bulgaria on its economic reform efforts and encouraged it to continue with them. Mr. Knutson also met with
key ministers including those responsible for the economy, energy, agriculture, transport and communications, and finance.
In Sofia, Mr. Knutson delivered an address to the highly respected Atlantic Club of Bulgaria.
Following his visit to Bulgaria, Mr. Knutson travelled to Turkey where he met with the ministers of finance, foreign trade,
transportation and communications, and energy and natural resources. While in Istanbul, he delivered an address to a group
of Canadian and Turkish business leaders brought together by the Canadian-Turkish Business Council. In Ankara, he
signed a Joint Declaration with the Minister of Finance signalling the successful conclusion of negotiations of a Canada-Turkey Double Taxation Agreement.
"The Agreement, once it is signed, will represent an important milestone in Canada-Turkey commercial relations and a
critical step in regularizing and facilitating trade and investment flows between our two countries," said Mr. Knutson.
The mission contributed to the advancement of Canadian business interests in the region. It is anticipated that many of the
business discussions initiated during the mission are likely to lead to real business and investment opportunities for
Canadian companies over the short and medium term.
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For further information, media representatives may contact:
Susan McConnell
Office of the Secretary of State (Central and Eastern Europe and Middle East)
(613) 990-7769
Media Relations Office
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
(613) 995-1874
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca
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