ANKARA - State Minister Ali Babacan and IMF's Turkey Desk Chief Reza Moghadam visited the Association of Ankara Wholesalers of Foodstuff and Consumables (GIMAT) on Wednesday.
Babacan who got briefing from GIMAT Chairman Recai Kesimal listened to GIMAT officials' demands and complaints.
Speaking at the meeting, Kesimal said that their full support to the government continued, adding, ''we are very pleased with the government''.
Recalling that sharp and instant increases in U.S. dollar currency in the past had caused serious problems, Kesimal said, ''today, we face serious problems in exportation due to low currency which causes us to suffer loss.''
Noting that they suffered loss due to decrease in currency as they gave price over the 1 million 650 thousand Turkish lira (TL) currency, Kesimal asked Babacan whether or not it was possible to fix the currency at its price in the past.
Babacan said that floating foreign currency was determined by the markets but banks could make time foreign exchange transactions.
Meanwhile, Kesimal told Moghadam that they wanted the IMF to maintain its support to Turkey's economy.
Kesimal asked Babacan to further lift bureaucratic obstacles and proposed him to give up imports of luxurious goods by Turkey.
Babacan recalled that bureaucratic obstacles had been minimized especially under the Direct Investment Law.
Odd Per Brekk, the senior resident representative of the IMF in Turkey, also attended the meeting.
(MS-AÖ) 16.07.2003