The measure taken by Turkey just while Erdogan was on his way to the US before meeting Donald Trump
Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Erdogan, photo: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP / Profimedia Images
Turkey announced on Monday that it has eliminated the retrsation taxes imposed in 2018 on imports from the United States – from fruit cars – a signal given even as President Tayyip Erdogan was traveling to the United States, reports Reuters.
Erdogan is about to attend this week in New York at the General Assembly of the United Nations, before a Thursday's meeting at the White House with US President Donald Trump, who stated that commercial and military agreements are to be concluded during the visit.
The announcement regarding the elimination of customs duties that, at the time of their introduction, targeted products such as cars, fruits, rice, tobacco, alcoholic beverages, solid fuels and chemicals, was published in the Official Gazette of Turkey.
Reuters recalls that since his return to the White House earlier this year, Donald Trump has resorted to extensive customs taxes, in an attempt to reshape global trade in favor of Washington, aiming not only traditional rivals, but also long -lasting allies.
In August, the United States set a 15% customs duty for imports from Turkey. Ankara did not respond with retrival measures.
The cancellations announced on Monday refer to the taxes imposed in 2018 as a reaction to American customs taxes on steel and aluminum imports, introduced in Trump's first term.
Erdogan and Trump have not met for 6 years
Erdogan last visited Trump at the White House in 2019, and the relationship between the two was sprinkled with tense moments.
Although in Trump's first term, the two had a close personal connection, the period was also one of bilateral tensions between Washington and Ankara, due to the disputes on US relations with Kurdish fighters and Turkey's collaboration with Moscow.
Ankara sparked the anger of the Trump administration in 2019 through the acquisition of Russian S-400 anti-aircraft defense systems. In response, Washington has canceled a planned sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey and excluded it from a common production program of these aircraft.
Target of $ 100 billion in bilateral trade
The Ministry of Trade of Turkey said that the customs duties imposed in 2018 were subsequently adjusted, depending on the measures taken by both parties, but remained in force in a certain degree, without offering figures regarding their current magnitude.
“The additional financial obligations imposed on the imports of certain products of American origin have been eliminated,” the ministry said, invoking the “progress” registered in negotiations with the United States.
He added that Turkey will continue to pursue the existing goal of $ 100 billion in a annual bilateral trade with the United States. The volume of commercial exchanges between the two countries rising to about $ 30 billion last year.
“We will continue to develop policies to increase commercial relations for the benefit of both parties, to diversify them, taking into account the competitive conditions, and to develop new areas of cooperation,” said the Ministry of Ankara.
Separately, Turkey announced on Monday that it has introduced an additional customs duty, between 25% and 30%, on imports of cars, except those from the European Union and from the countries with which Turkey has free trade agreements.
