WASHINGTON D.C. - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that their target was to make strategic partnership between Turkey and the United States reached an exemplary level also in economic and commercial field.
Erdogan addressed Turkish and American businessmen in a luncheon which was hosted by the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) and Turkish-American Business Council at Ritz Carlton Hotel.
Stating that Turkey and the United States shared an important partnership rooted in history, Erdogan said that the importance given to democracy, freedom, human rights and supremacy of law continued to be main values binding the two countries to each other in a period when there were rapid changes in the world.
Erdogan said that the two countries acted together both in defense and security and also development of human rights, democracy and market economy and noted that Turkey and the United States proved that they had common views and thoughts in protection of international peace and stability. He stated that current cooperation in fight against terrorism between Turkey and the United States gained a new dimension after new international atmosphere which took place after September 11 attacks.
Prime Minister Erdogan underlined that the United States showed again its support and solidarity to Turkey with regard to fight against terrorism after terrorist attacks in Istanbul in November 2003.
Recalling that the United States extended support to Turkey in economic crisis that Turkey went through from the very beginning, Erdogan said that he welcomed the United States's continuing its support especially with regard to relations with international financial organizations.
Erdogan said that Turkish and American businessmen had important roles to further improve economic and commercial relations.
Underlining that their basic target was to bring economic and commercial relations to the level of military and political relations, he said that development of economic and commercial relations would help Turkey attract more U.S. investment and it would also speed up economic and social development. He added that it would also contribute to Turkey's goal to be a full member of the European Union (EU).
Recalling that the government fulfilled regulations which would facilitate foreign investment and lift bureaucratic obstacles, he aid, ''the most important thing among those issues is Direct Foreign Investments Law which went into effect in June 2003. This law targets to reduce bureaucratic procedures to the lowest level and aims to give confidence to foreign investors.''
Erdogan said that stages of setting up a foreign company were facilitated and foreign companies were given equality with Turkish companies and noted that after foreign companies were set up, they would be treated equally with Turkish companies. He added that they expected American investments which amounted to 4 billion U.S. dollars in last 23 years in Turkey to be increased.
Stating that the government was aware of problems of some American companies which made investments in Turkey, Erdogan said that they were determined to solve those problems.
Erdogan noted that Turkey's exports to the United States amounted to nearly 3.2 billion U.S. dollars as of October 2003 and stated that this figure increased by 12.8 percent this period when compared to the same period of 2002. Erdogan added that Turkey's imports from the United States amounted to 2.9 U.S. dollars as of October 2003 and this figure increased by 11.3 percent in this period when compared to the same period of 2002. But Erdogan underlined that this figure was way behind the 33 percent increase in Turkey's total trade.
Stressing that it was also possible to increase bilateral trade between the two countries, he said that steps which aimed to lift every kind of obstacles like quota should be taken.
''I would like to touch on qualified industrial zones which were one of the main issues of the First Economic Partnership Commission which was held in February 2002. As you know, Turkey assumes an attitude on qualified industrial zones which will not exclude any sector. But, concerned draft law which was presented by the U.S. administration to the Congress had a content which excluded textile, ready-to-wear clothing, shoes and leather sectors,'' he stated.
Stating that this draft law was not passed from the Congress and so it became out of date, Erdogan said that a new draft law on qualified industrial zones was not presented to the Congress the following period more than a year. Erdogan said that the U.S. administration made necessary preliminary studies on this issue with the Congress and accepted to restart legislation process. He added that it was a pleasing development.
Erdogan said that programs encouraging cooperation between small and medium scale enterprises (KOBIs) should be put into practice as soon as possible.
Erdogan said that when Turkey's cheap labor, geographical location and EU Customs Union were combined with U.S. companies' capital and technology opportunities, it would be seen that there were broad horizons for progress in commercial and economic relations between the two countries.
He noted that Overseas Private Investment Corporation's (OPIC) announcement that it was ready to provide 1.6 billion U.S. dollars of loan to be used by Turkish KOBIs in the Second Economic Partnership Commission in December 2003 was a good development.
Stating that cooperation between Turkish and American companies in reconstruction activities in Afghanistan were very successful examples, Erdogan said that he thought that this cooperation could also be put into practice in projects for reconstruction of Iraq.
Erdogan said that Turkey was an ideal partner for U.S. companies with its geographical location, international experience, power of competition, skilled labor force, transportation possibilities and cultural and humanitarian ties with people in the region. He said that he was very pleased with the latest decision which facilitated Turkish companies to participate as main contractor in tenders which would be opened for reconstruction of Iraq under 18.6 billion U.S. dollars of fund.
Erdogan said that they were aware of the United States's political support to Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline project which would transport energy sources in Caspian region to Turkey and West and noted that they believed that this support would continue for completing the project in 2005 as foreseen.
Prime Minister Erdogan added that the government would do its utmost for facilitating U.S. businessmen's investments in Turkey and joint investments by Turkish and American businessmen.
(EÖ-AÖ) 28.01.2004