Developments In Turkey Are Welcomed In Western Europe

BRUSSELS - Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan said on Tuesday that the developments in Turkish economy were welcomed and appreciated in western Europe.
Speaking in a news conference in Brussels where he attended the economy and finance ministers meeting of EU member and candidate countries, Unakitan said that Turkey had an important political will to join the EU.
''We adopted the adjustment laws and we will show the same sensitivity in implementing these reforms. We must bring the economic position to the level of the EU. Inflation, budget deficits, and issues of borrowing are very important. We must abide by the European criteria, we carry out the stability programme with IMF in resolution. We must do it even if there is IMF or not,'' Unakitan said.
''We walk on the right way and we will continue on our way,'' said Unakitan, adding that ''privatization is an important issue. Turkey has a privatization schedule and we abide by that... Big privatization tenders such as State Monopolies of Tobacco and Liquor (TEKEL), Petkim and Turkish Petroleum Inc. (Tupras) will be held. Firstly TEKEL's bid will be concluded. Later National Lotteries and Telecom will be privatized in 2004.''
''We targeted 20 percent of inflation for the year 2003, we will easily reach that target. The deficit in the budget will be lower than expected. Public deficit need will decrease, the growth rate will be more than the European average, it will be 5 percent. We target the same rate next year,'' said Unakitan.
Unakıtan stated that the government attributed importance to political criteria as much as economic criteria, adding that ''everybody whom I met in my contacts say that the political and economic changes in Turkey are very pleasing and surprising.''
Referring to the Iraqi issue, Unakitan said that ''we had losses in the beginning of the Iraqi war, there was a loss in tourism incomes. There was economic hesitation and stagnation. Shopping ended. There was a rise in inflation due to the increase in oil prices and U.S. dollars. If this was not the case, the inflation figure would be much more lesser today. We overcame the Iraqi crisis without serious losses.''
Unakitan said, ''the more Turkey is administered well, the more it would improve day by day'', and noted that, ''Turkey which has potential, basis, and human rights should leap to the place it deserved.
''One of the most important issues of Turkey is to increase direct investments. Employment problem is linked with this. We should further better investment atmosphere. Foreign investors should be brought to Turkey. Privatizations are very important in this respect. Foreign investments will come to Turkey in 2004 because of privatizations. Foreign investments will increase when we get a date from the EU. There are European, American and other investors from the far east, who want to enter various sectors including Tekel, Petkim, Tupras, Telekom, and finance sector,'' he stressed.
Unakitan said, ''ways are open for Turkey. Let us progress on this route. Economic and political stability is very important. Every country wants to attract foreign investors. This will bring employment, production and exports. We are trying to decrease bureaucratic obstacles. Differences between local and foreign investors are lifted. Regulations should be stable, they should not change continuously.''
Unakitan said he gave information to his European interlocutors about omitting zero from Turkish lira, stressing that, ''finance ministers are waiting for this. Regulation change is necessary. System will change completely. This process started. Finance Ministry, Treasury Undersecretariat, Planning, and Central Bank work in coordination. We will reach our target by the end of 2004 or at the beginning of 2005.''
Speaking about Cyprus problem, Unakitan said, ''Cyprus is not among Copenhagen criteria, They should think very well whether or not Cyprus or any other question could be solved more easily by excluding Turkey. Problems can be solved easily if we become a member of the family.''
Unakitan will meet with Belgian Finance Minister Didier Reynders this evening and is expected to return to Turkey on Wednesday.
(ÖŞ-AY-AÖ) 04.11.2003