Lebanese PM calls on Turkey to invest in Lebanon

The Lebanese prime minister called on Turkish businesspeople to invest in Lebanon. If there ever was a period for Turkish businesspeople to invest in Lebanon, it is today, according to Lebanon's Premier Saad Hariri on Monday.

Hariri met with Turkish journalists, who were in the Lebanese capital of Beirut for the Association of Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and Industry, or ASCAME, meeting, and said stability is ensured in Lebanon. Turkish companies willing to invest in Lebanon would not face any problems, Hariri said.

Hariri also said Turkey would be one of the first countries he would visit, and called Turkey's Premier Recep Tayyip Erdoğan a friend of his father Rafik Hariri and Lebanon.

The premier said Lebanon had always received Turkey's support through difficult times.During his visit to Turkey, he said businesspeople, seeking investment opportunities, would accompany him. A free trade agreement would be a topic of discussion during his visit, Hariri added.

On tourism, Hariri said the next step might be to make Turkey a much more reasonable tourist destination for Lebanese people and increase flights. Lifting visa procedures between the two countries would be a good idea, he said. Hariri pledged to deal with the issue as soon as his government won a vote of confidence in parliament.

The Lebanese prime minister enumerated possible investment opportunities in his country including energy, telecom and mass transportation.

Hariri also said he would work to launch the ro-ro service between Beirut and the Turkish Mediterranean city of Mersin and support any initiative to boost Turkish-Lebanese cooperation.

Son of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri who was killed in February 2005, Saad Hariri formed his government on Nov. 9. The parliamentary elections were held in Lebanon in June.