Erdogan: Koehler Confirms Turkey's Success In Implementation Of Economic Program

DUBAI - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Horst Koehler confirmed Turkey's success in implementation of economic program.
Erdogan met with Koehler and accompanying IMF delegation in Dubai, where he is attending IMF-World Bank annual meetings. The meeting lasted about 40 minutes.
State Minister Ali Babacan and IMF First Deputy Managing Director Anne Krueger, IMF European I Department Director Michael Deppler, and Executive Director Willy Kiekens also participated in the meeting.
When recalled by a reporter that Koehler showed Turkey as an example, Erdogan quoted Koehler as stressing in their meeting the point Germany had reached by giving importance to three principles of ''continuity, consistency, and stability'' after the World War II.
Erdogan said, ''it is obvious that we have shaped up economy taking into consideration these three principles. And, IMF said that Turkey can be a very good example if we continue to walk on this road and maintain our discipline. They also confirm our success so far.''
Asked if the IMF proposed anything to Turkey, Erdogan said, ''I have said. They asked us to be sensitive about continuity, consistency and stability.''
Erdogan said that his meeting with IMF Managing Director Koehler and accompanying delegation was ''very positive and fruitful.''
Asked if interest rates were taken up in their meeting, Erdogan said, ''I explained the progress we have recorded so far.''
When asked if structural reforms came onto agenda, Erdogan said, ''no, these reforms are a part of our current economic program.''
Asked if success would continue, Erdogan said, ''we continue economic program and financial discipline. We will not make any concessions with populist approaches. We will hold local elections in Turkey. We can't suggest to change the program and make concessions with populist approaches. We will continue to implement the program.''
Replying to a question about 2004 budget preparations, Erdogan said, ''we will prepare it together with the sixth review.''
Erdogan said that the primary surplus target was set together with the IMF.
''We are progressing towards the 6.5 percent primary surplus target. We have set growth rate target as 5 percent. Our year-end inflation target is 20 percent. We are in an effort to reach this target. I hope that we will maintain our discipline and achieve these targets,'' Erdogan added.
(BRC-AÖ) 22.09.2003