ERDOGAN: TURKEY AIMS TO EVALUATE FACILITIES OF BEING A TERMINAL IN OPENING OF OIL AND NATURAL GAS IN NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES TO WORLD MARKETS
BISHKEK - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Turkey targeted to evaluate facilities of being a distribution terminal in opening of oil and natural gas in neighboring countries to world markets.
Erdogan delivered a speech in Turkish-Kyrgyz Business Council joint meeting.
Erdogan said during the meetings he made with Kyrgyz officials, he saw that cooperation and political relations between the two countries were at the highest level.
Stating that Turkey and Kyrgyzstan had a strong will and determination to improve economic and trade relations, Erdogan said, ''in the past 10 years, the world went through important changes in political means. A new world order began to be formed following the end of cold war period.''
Erdogan said, ''starting as of 1980's, determined steps started to be taken in establishment of free market economy and a comprehensive economic stability and to implement liberalization policy. Our country began to take its rightful place in the world economy.''
Erdogan said Turkey took its place in World Trade Organization as founder member in 1995, signed Customs Union with European Union (EU) in 1996, and also signed free trade agreements with 16 countries. Erdogan said, ''Turkey, in the past 10 years, became a focus of interest for businessmen in the Middle East, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, and the countries in the Black Sea basin,'' adding that, Turkey at the same time undertook the role of becoming a bridge among the regions in question.
Erdogan said Turkey increased its effectiveness in Eurasia and other regions making use of Turkey's current position with the EU, and the strategic and economic power stemming from this position.
Erdogan said Turkish economy had to face various difficulties between 2000 and 2001 because of the Asian crisis, and some negative developments experienced in crisis in Russia and internal markets, adding that new economic program started to be implemented in the period after September 11 attacks. He said the government gave priority to financial sector and the program was settled on a healthy basis.
Pointing out that fundamental priority of the stability policy implemented by the government was to put necessary financial discipline into practice and to provide primary surplus targeted in the budget, Erdogan said, ''a strategy is underway in monetary policy decreasing inflation in the short term and giving priority to price stability in the medium term. Independence of Central Bank is preserved. Implementation of structural reforms as well as providing of monetary and financial discipline creates confidence atmosphere in our country, and decrease uncertainties. Efforts are underway to decrease debts, and also efforts are underway to decrease rate of inflation below 20 percent and to single digit numbers by the end of this year.''
Erdogan said Turkey targeted to evaluate facilities of being a distribution terminal in opening of oil and natural gas in neighboring countries to world markets, noting that, ''we attribute importance to improvement of market order and transmission infrastructure which will facilitate exchange of electricity between Europe and the regional countries. Projects aiming at transfer of Caspian Region natural gas and oil via our country to the world markets started to be implemented.''
Erdogan said Turkish-Kyrgyz bilateral relations improved basing on mutual confidence and cooperation.
Kyrgyz Prime Minister Nikolai Tanayev in his part said a stability could be reached in his country in service sector and industry.
Pointing out that he thought trade volume between Turkey and Kyrgyzstan was low, Tanayev said he and Erdogan decided to increase trade volume between the two countries to 200 million U.S. dollars.
Tanayev said they called for cooperation not only in economy but also in military and politics, and wanted Turkish and Kyrgyz businessmen to have joint investments.
Tanayev said his country had an important place in Europe-Asia transportation, noting that construction of Kyrgyzstan-China railway, which would bring an important enlivening to the region, still continued.
(AY) 22.10.2003