Turkish foreign trade minister, who is currently holding talks in the United States, said on Thursday the Turkish government provided great incentives for domestic research and development.

State Minister for foreign trade Zafer Caglayan said that he met with executives of U.S. companies whose turnovers amount to 1.2 trillion U.S. dollars in Houston.

Caglayan said he attended a dinner in Houston participated by representatives from companies; Exxon, Conoco Philips, Westlake Chemical, JP Morgan, General Electric Oil and Gas, Port of Houston Authority, Schlumberger, Texas Medicam Center, Methodist International, AECOM, ForsterQuan, Greater Houston Patrnership, Euroil, BP, Houston Airport System, Shell, ORR Textile Co. Ltd., Mayor of Baton Rouge/Louisiana, Shaw Energy and Chemicals Group and Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce.

The Texas American Turkish Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with the Greater Houston Partnership, cordially invites you to a program featuring: Zafer Çağlayan State Minister for Foreign Trade The Republic of Turkey.We look forward to you joining us in exploring business opportunities in one of the world's most vibrant and fastest growing economies - Turkey. Thursday, July 22nd

11:30am - Registration 
12-1:30 pm - Program 
InterContinental Hotel 
2222 West Loop South, Houston, TX 77027 
Please RSVP at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

P.S.1Minister will be joined by a large business delegation representing key sectors including:

Forestry products, iron and steel, metals, chemicals, dried fruits, grain and cereals, cut flowers, cement, leather, precious metals and jewellery, electronics, shipbuilding, carpets, machinery parts, automobile parts, textiles, tobacco products.

P.S.2 11.00 am-12 pm. Meeting of the representatives of Turkish exporters' organizations with their American counterparts

Turkish construction industry had 170 billion USD of business volume in over 80 countries.

The Turkish state minister for foreign trade said on Friday that only one Turkish construction company was operating in the United States.

Turkey's State Minister Zafer Caglayan said Turkish construction industry, which had 170 million USD of business volume in over 80 countries, did not have a share in the U.S. construction industry.

"We will open our construction industry to the United States," Caglayan told AA correspondent ahead of his visit to this country.

Caglayan will tour Texas, Illinois, Georgia, California and New York for a week, beginning on July 17, to seek ways to increase trade with the United States.

Turkish construction industry has a capacity to make 20 billion USD business p.a. 
Caglayan said Turkey could get a great share in U.S. construction industry.

"We have analyzed the United States on state basis, and we have studied economic parameters, macro-economic figures, exports and imports," Caglayan said.

radesmen from Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and North America visited the booths of 398 exhibitors from all industries. Visitors also attended country presentations put together by Cote d'Ivoire, Senegal, Cameroon and Ghana.

TUSKON expects a trade volume of $7 billion to be realized as part of the program that will continue until the weekend. Participating businesspeople will then be taken to several Anatolian provinces to meet with local entrepreneurs there as well as to enjoy cultural and touristic visits. Sixty-two provinces will host guests from around the world during the course of the visits to various parts of Anatolia.

After hosting a delegation of Turkish business representatives and businessmen in Baton Rouge in April, Mayor-President Melvin "Kip" Holden  met with a large group  businessmen in Houston as the guest ofTexas Turkish American Chamber of Commerce.

Holden  addressed TTACC, a Houston based organization of 200 businessmen with ties to businesses in Turkey and who also operate businesses in the Houston area. Mayor talked to the group has expressed an interest in working with Mayor Holden to both establish connections with businesses in Turkey and possibly expand Houston based operations into the Baton Rouge area. The group is dedicated to advancing and promoting interaction between American and Turkish people and businesses.

Mayor called all businessmen to invest in BR,or trade with BR businessmen.

TTACC hosted a delegation from Mexico City Mr. Arturo Mendicuti Narro, President, Mexico City National Chamber of Commerce. Lorenzo Ysasi,Vice Chair World Chambers FederationLic.Roman Vidal Tamayo, International Business Network Director, Mexico City National Chamber of Commerce joined TTACC Reception&Forum ‘Invest and Trade Oppurnity in Mexico'

Mexico has a free market economy in the trillion dollar class. It contains a mixture of modern and outmoded industry and agriculture, increasingly dominated by the private sector. Recent administrations have expanded competition in seaports, railroads, telecommunications, electricity generation, natural gas distribution, and airports. Per capita income is roughly one-third that of the US; income distribution remains highly unequal. Trade with the US and Canada has nearly tripled since the implementation of NAFTA in 1994. Mexico has free trade agreements with over 50 countries including, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, the European Free Trade Area, and Japan, putting more than 90% of trade under free trade agreements.

In Forum Audience got very useful information and datas about Trade between USA Mexico and Turkey Mexico.

The reception was held on Wednesday at the Willard InterContinental Washington, bringing ambassadors, directors and representatives of Turkish, Turkic and Eurasian peoples together with members of the US Congress, legislative directors and legislative assistants for foreign policy. US senators Richard Lugar, Robert Casey, Frank Lautenberg, Jeff Bingaman, Roger Wicker, Mark Warner and Kay Hagen were present at the event.

Observers said that this many senators have never attended an event organized by Turks in the US before.

"With a population of 72 million, Turkey is a very significant consumer market for our export-oriented economy," said Steen Hommel, department head at The Trade Council attached to the Danish Foreign Affairs Ministry. "As our economy is heavily related to exporting Danish goods to generate income back at home and sustaining the social security system, we need to find new emerging markets. Turkey definitely fits that target profile," he added.

Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan addressed the audience during a gathering organized by the Gülen Institute at the Hyatt Regency Houston hotel on April 12.

Annan said it is important to have institutions like the Gülen Institute that gather people from different backgrounds and remind us of the fact that we are all in the same boat. His remarks came during a gathering organized earlier this week by the Gülen Institute at the Hyatt Regency Houston hotel.

Indicating that he is working on serious problems the world faces such as human rights, education and solidarity, Annan said the Gülen Institute has similar ideals.

The former UN secretary-general also said all religions, including Islam, Christianity and Judaism, teach about social morality. Noting that Islam teaches of a merciful God, he asked how some people can kill others in the name of God and claim that they support the religion. Annan said that such people want to use religion for their own interests.

Four companies which are members of TTACC ,sponsored this event.