As seen from damascus: The transformation in Syrian-Turkish relations

This chapter argues that Turkish-Syrian economic relations have been subject to political developments in general as political relations improved, economic relations progressed in a parallel fashion. Traditionally, prolonged tensions in political relations, like the Hatay issue and the Cold War, had led to limited economic relations between Turkey and Syria. One of the turning points in the economic relationship was Prime Minister Erdoan’s visit to Syria in December 2004. Erdoan went to Damascus following the agreement between Turkey and the European Union to start accession negotiations, which enhanced Turkey’s importance for Syria as Turkey increasingly began to be seen as Syria’s door to European markets. In 2006, the Syrian economy was liberalized and opened up to market forces. Improvement in economic relations was not confined to improved Turkish trade figures but also manifest in increases in investment, especially Turkish investment in Syria.