KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK), one of the biggest banks in the Middle East, said yesterday it was in talks to buy a 30 per cent stake in Turkish Bank as part of an expansion push abroad.

NBK chief executive Ibrahim Dabdoub confirmed the talks after two officials from Turkish Bank that NBK wanted to buy a minority stake in the small, unlisted lender.

"We want to expand our operations in Turkey," Dabdoub said.

"We want to offer consumer and corporate banking services."