“The two countries have growing markets with a great room for future growth in the private sector,” Hariri said addressing the Turkish-Lebanese Business Council of the Foreign Economic Relations Board in Istanbul.

Hariri also called on Turkish businessmen to invest in Lebanon saying “the country has lots of untapped opportunities and greater capacity than before.”

Turkish Environment and Forests Minister Veysel Eroglu said that the two countries will sign 53 new Memorandum of Understandings and protocols during the visit of Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Beirut in July.

Turkey’s exports to Lebanon reached $590 million while its imports totaled $90 million in 2009 until November, said Wajih Bezri, head of the Council.