ICOC has realized the organization for the national participation of Turkey at the `Interlight 2006 Lighting and Lighting Products Fair` organized in Moscow between the dates of 6 – 9 December. 14 companies which participated at the Fair with the ICOC organization found new cooperation opportunities. The ICOC Delegation who traveled to Russia visited in the course of its contacts in Moscow, the Interlight 2006 Fair which opened new export doors to Turkish companies, and made some investigations. Furthermore, ICOC Board of Directors Chairman Murat Yalçıntaş, Board of Directors Members Şaban Dişli, and Bülent Barlak; Council Member Uğur Çatbaş, and ICOC Secretary General Dr. Cengiz Ersun paid a visit to Kurtuluş Taşkent, Ambassador of Turkey in Moscow. In the course of its contacts in St. Petersburg, the Delegation visited the Turkish College which was selected by the Russian National Education institutions as the foreign school giving the best education. A performance was presented to the delegation members at the Turkish College by Turkish and Russian students. In his speech made at the College, Murat Yalçıntaş pointed out to the importance of such school types which compensate to a great extent for education deficiencies in overseas countries; and gave the message that ICOC is always a supporter of training-education activities.

The implementation process is started for the third phase of the `The First Step to Export Program (İİAP)` realized by the İstanbul Chamber of Commerce (ICOC) to transform SMSEs into exporters. Companies were introduced to each other and to their consultants at the meeting held at ICOC for the third phase of İİAP. The opening speech of the meeting held for this purpose was served by ICOC Secretary General Dr. Cengiz Ersun. Dr. Ersun pointed out that ICOC has adapted to Turkey the ‘PIPE 2000 Project` of the Madrid Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and 20 companies in 2005, and 40 companies in 2006 became exporters. Dr. Ersun stated that their aim is to give training to SMSEs who have not made any exports up to date or who did not realize regular exports; and emphasized that such training is a first in Turkey; and under this program direct consultancy service is given to companies. Ersun talked as follows: `We should make good use of this opportunity. You have to acquire new skills in order to survive in the global competition environment; and we have started the İİAP program exactly for this purpose. We, as ICOC give you full support.` Dr. Ersun, who said that practical export training will be given to 20 companies in 4 monthly training terms, emphasized that Garanti Bank gives special services to companies under the program. After the meeting, companies had their first gathering with their consultants.

The Egypt – Alexandria Trade Association Delegation paid a visit to Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ICOC) and expressed their wishes for the enhancement of trade relations between the two countries, with the increase in investments. ICOC Board of Directors Member Sait Kılıç who had a meeting with the Delegation, said that as ICOC they were prepared to supply any information and give every support for the development of commercial and amicable relations between the two countries; and that they continue their activities for this purpose. The Egypt – Alexandria Trade Delegation operational in the fields of medical waste, surgical stitch, sterilized packs, hospital furniture, dialysis, urology, cardiology, surgery tables; chemicals required for the paint, glass, ceramics and detergent industries; food additives and oily seeds, engineering and construction consultancy; planning, feasibility studies, quality management and project management, urban planning, and landscaping planning, has also made individual discussions with Turkish businesspeople.

İstanbul Chamber of Commerce begins to rate websites. Performance of internet sites will be monitored with the system put into service under the name of `TRİP`. The objective of the TRİP platform totally realized by Turkish software engineers is to provide support to the reinforcement and development of the internet media which gradually covers an important part of our lives in Turkey too as in the other parts of the world. The system put into service under the name of `TRİP` will be a first in Turkey. The TRİP platform realized with the cooperation of ICOC and Triptek Yazılım ve Bilişim Hizmetleri A.Ş. is described as an online platform which keeps internet website statistics on a reliable, comprehensive and central system; identifies how many people have accessed which internet sites, from where, when and for how long; and which, in line with these data, develops statistics and analyses. The rating list to be developed with a score system to be implemented for the first time in Turkey will be regularly published at ICOC`s internet site.

Representatives of the Chinese Guangdong State Industry and Trade Management; and Peking Chaoyang Zone Trade Office who, during their visit to Turkey also called Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ICOC) and received information about Turkish economy, expressed their request for cooperation with Turkish businesspeople on partnership basis. Representatives of the delegation were told that such visits will help to increase trade to the desired levels between Turkey and China, and that every infrastructure facility and potential can be available for this purpose. The following comment was also made to the delegation: `It is the duty of all of us to enhance trade activities by increasing imports and exports. Let us identify potential sectors for import and export and benefit from them jointly. When we have a look at the trade figures between the two countries we see that almost all these figures refer to the products imported from China. We have to balance trade figures mutually.`