BOLU - Agriculture and Rural Affairs Minister Sami Guclu said on Saturday that the European Union (EU) wanted definite conditions on food safety to be obeyed and stated that adjustment program which the Union would foresee on this issue would speed up Turkey's initiatives.
Guclu told A.A correspondent that there were studies which all ministries should carry on adjustment laws to the EU and stated that Agriculture Ministry would exert most efforts on this issue.
Stating that because 50 percent of EU regulation was toward fulfillment of agricultural adjustment, he said that the Union wanted definite conditions on food safety to be complied with.
Guclu said that there was nothing which was forbidden regarding local, national or regional foods of Turkey and stated that the EU would bring some standards regarding foods.
''We should improve it for our own regulation, our own health and food safety. The EU does not have any attitude on giving order for those kinds of foods,'' he said.
Stating that foodstuff which was sent to Iraq was not rotten, Guclu said that there was not any foodstuff which was sent back to Turkey as they were rotten.
Guclu said that Turkey exported mostly foodstuff to Iraq and stated that Turkish companies had intensive activities in the region. He added that Turkish export companies were very hopeful about Iraqi market.
(EÖ-AY) 30.08.2003