ISTANBUL, Oct 22 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s discussion with Turkish Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek here this morning touched on current economic issues, economic cooperation, tourism, investment, and defence, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir said.

He described the hour-long meeting as highly productive for both countries.

According to Zambry, the prime minister and Mehmet exchanged views on current economic issues and discussed the need for financial structural reforms at this time.

"Secondly, they looked at how bilateral trade relations could be enhanced more actively, covering various fields, including the tourism sector, which is a very significant sector for both countries,” he said.

Zambry, who was met after Anwar’s meeting with Mehmet at the Prime Minister’s residence hotel here, said the discussions on tourism looked into how both countries could provide investments related to the sector.

Anwar is currently in Istanbul for a two-day working visit to Turkiye and is expected to have a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan later in the afternoon before departing for his next working visit to Egypt.

On defence, Zambry said discussions with the Turkish Finance Minister centred on the potential for both countries to embark on design and production joint ventures in the field, in which Turkiye is seen as ready to provide stronger cooperation.

He said the discussion also touched on issues arising from globalisation of the economy, with particular emphasis on regional or economic cooperation.

"We see how both countries can play a very important role. Malaysia can represent the Asean region, and Turkiye can represent the regions in Europe and Central Asia. This certainly provides an advantage to both friendly nations that have strong ties,” he said.

Developments concerning the Israel-Palestine conflict in Gaza were also raised in the meeting, which Zambry said deeply touched the hearts of all Malaysians and Muslims worldwide.

He said the conflict highlights the importance of strengthening economic cooperation among Islamic countries.

"I see this meeting as providing new opportunities and dimensions to enhance the economic and trade relations of both countries. Many things were discussed and the outcome of the discussion was very productive.

"I believe that with the upcoming meeting between the Prime Minister and President Erdogan, it will undoubtedly add new dimensions to what was discussed earlier,” he said. — Bernama