Mersin/Turkey, (SANA)- Turkish Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs Kursat Tuzmen stressed that the volume of trade exchange between Turkey and Syria amounts to USD2 billion, expressing the desire of both countries to raise the figure to USD10 billion.

 In a statement after welcoming the train passengers coming from Aleppo Friday evening, Tuzmen indicated that Turkey will run trains trips from Mersin to the Italian city Trieste.

For his part, Chairman of Turkish Railways Suleyman Karaman said that train services between Aleppo and Gaziantep kick off soon.

Aleppo governorate celebrated on Thursday the running of the first Aleppo-Mersin train trip in confirmation of consolidating friendship and cooperation ties between Turkey and Syria.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (MUSIAD), Omer Jihad Vardan said that talks of the Association delegation with Syrian businessmen in Aleppo will have a positive impact on developing and enhancing trade exchange between Turkey and Syria.

In a press statement to Yeni Safak Newspaper published Friday, Vardan pointed out that there are many tasks for the Syrian and Turkish businessmen to carry out, adding the two countries will achieve many shared important profits.

Earlier, the delegation which consists of 100 Turkish businessmen held talks with Syrian businessmen in Aleppo which dealt with evaluating investment possibilities and developing and enhancing trade cooperation between the two countries.

Fadi Allafi /Haifa Said /Idelbi