Turkish city hosts 85th international trade fair

ANKARA (AA) – The 85th Izmir International Fair (IEF) – Turkey’s oldest trade show – is running in the western Turkish city until Sep. 4.

Representatives from 42 different countries will attend. Malaysia is this year’s partner nation.

Speaking at the opening of the fair on Friday, Turkish Science Minister Faruk Ozlu said:

"Fair organizations develop diplomatic ties between countries as well as contributing to expanding economic and commercial relations.

“The IEF continued to gather business people from different countries even during the Second World War."

This year’s fair theme is 'innovation'.

Ozlu said: "Industrial products constitute 95 percent of the Turkey's exports… R&D [research and development] and innovation have great importance for this."

The minister invited foreign companies to produce in Turkey in the field of R&D: "There is no discrimination between domestic and foreign companies. Both of them benefit from the same opportunities."