Erdogan: Economy Does Not Have Religion

ANKARA - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that economy did not have any religion.
Prime Minister Erdogan responded questions of journalists aboard the plane on his way back from Saudi Arabia to Turkey.
''My views over the Common Islamic Market was considered positive during my bilateral meetings in Saudi Arabia. This issue was brought onto agenda in the past. Economy does not have any religion. One of the most important instruments of economy is money. Efforts to depend money on ethnicity will lead to negative results. And the globalization process in the world will, of course, reject these results,'' he said.
Noting that economic and political changes triggered each other, Prime Minister Erdogan told reporters, ''in the past, policy used to affect economy. Now, economy affects policy. A healthy democracy can be developed only in a country having a sound economy.''
Describing humanity, information and monetary management as the main elements of both economy and politics, Prime Minister Erdogan said, ''the Islam world has stayed behind on these issues. It is totally our fault.''
ERDOGAN: A HEALTHY DEMOCRACY CAN BE DEVELOPED ONLY IN A COUNTRY HAVING A SOUND ECONOMY
Erdogan said, ''it was a very beneficial and positive visit. Important issues were taken up both at the Fifth Jeddah Economic Forum and at the sessions. Nearly 100 thousand Turkish people have been living in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, we should be more influential in this country. Saudi businessmen want to make joint investments in Turkey together by Turkish businessmen in many fields such as tourism, electronics, industry and textiles.''
Responding a question about his view over the Common Islamic Market, Prime Minister Erdogan told reporters, ''my views over the Common Islamic Market was considered positive during my bilateral meetings in Saudi Arabia. This issue was brought onto agenda in the past. Economy does not have any religion. One of the most important instruments of economy is money. Efforts to depend money on ethnicity will lead to negative results. And the globalization process in the world will, of course, reject these results. Also, they attribute great importance to Turkey's European Union (EU) membership process,'' he said
When asked, ''you called on the Islam world to change itself. What do you mean?'' Prime Minister Erdogan said, ''the countries having Muslim population should become productive countries. Economic and political changes trigger each other. In the past, policy used to affect economy. Now, economy affects policy. A healthy democracy can be developed only in a country having a sound economy.''
Describing humanity, information and monetary management as the main elements of both economy and politics, Prime Minister Erdogan said, ''the Islam world has stayed behind on these issues. It is totally our fault. Muslim people should renew and develop themselves. All parameters of the Islam are clear.''
Upon a question about his meeting with former U.S. President Bill Clinton, Prime Minister Erdogan said, ''the issues of the Middle East and Iraq topped agenda of our meeting. Clinton has a point of view over these issues as a democrat representative. We observed that his views were in full harmony with views of Turkey.''
When asked, ''there are some news stories claiming that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had requested a supplementary package about the increase in private consumption tax. Are these news stories correct?'' Prime Minister Erdogan told reporters, ''there is not any problem for the time being.''
(UK) 19.01.2004