Turkey proposes to establish free-trade area

DAR ES SALAAM¹, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Turkey has expressed interest to create a free-trade and investment area between Turkey and the East African Community (EAC), Xinhua learnt on Wednesday.
    Turkish Ambassador(大使) to Tanzania Sander Gurbuz said his country is interested to forge diplomatic relations with the regional bloc² while presenting his credentials³ to Secretary General of EAC Juma Mwapachu in Arusha in northeast Tanzania on Tuesday.
    On the free-trade area, Gurbuz noted⁴ that having a free-trade area between the two sides would swiftly boost（促进） socio-economic development in the region. The negotiations⁵ for the Free Trade Agreement and Trade and an Investment Framework Agreement is scheduled to take place in September this year.
    The Turkish ambassador noted that Turkey has made remarkable⁶ development in the tourism and textile（纺织） industries, and that Turkey has diverse skills in technology and other areas, which will be instrumental for the development of the two.
    "This will give an opportunity for businessmen from the EAC to freely trade with Turkey while the same would happen for Turkish business people," he said, adding that the official proposal（建议，建设） for the free-trade area will soon be presented to the EAC secretary general.
    He also explained that EAC has a lot of opportunities that need to be shared by the two sides including tourist attractions. The ambassador pledged that Turkey will bring to East Africa a large number of Turkish tourists in the near future.
    In accomplishing the idea, the Turkish airline has already introduced direct flights from Istanbul to three EAC destinations - - Dar es Salaam, Nairobi and Entebbe.
    For his part, Mwapachu said the proposal for the free-trade area between the EAC and Turkey opens a new chapter in strengthening trade relations between the two sides, reviewing the long historical ties that Turkey has with this region.
    The EAC is the regional intergovernmental organization consisting of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
    The bloc covers a population of 126.6 million with a combined GDP of 73 billion U.S. dollars, and a development strategy of growing up from a Customs Union, a Common Market to a Monetary⁷ Union and eventually a Political Federation⁸.（本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑）

1 salaam   

n.额手之礼，问安，敬礼；v.行额手礼

参考例句：

• And the people were so very friendly:full of huge beaming smiles,calling out "hello" and "salaam".这里的人民都很友好，灿然微笑着和我打招呼，说“哈罗”和“萨拉姆”。
• Salaam is a Muslim form of salutation.额手礼是穆斯林的问候方式。

2 bloc   

n.集团；联盟

参考例句：

• A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
• There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。

3 credentials   

n.证明，资格，证明书，证件

参考例句：

• He has long credentials of diplomatic service.他的外交工作资历很深。
• Both candidates for the job have excellent credentials.此项工作的两个求职者都非常符合资格。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

6 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

7 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

8 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。