NEW YORK - Turkish Ambassador in Washington Faruk Logoglu said on Tuesday that Turkey and the United States carried on a joint study for usage of 8.5 billion dollars of loan which the United States had given to Turkey to eliminate the negative effects of Iraq war on economy under more appropriate conditions.
Logoglu, who informed finance circles about Turkey in New York, stressed the importance of Turkey's partnership with the United States and its allies in the region.
International Investment Bank Raymond James' Turkey Desk Director Oner Ayan told A.A correspondent that Logoglu said that the issue of loan's usage in less binding conditions for Turkey was brought onto agenda during Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to White House last month.
Noting that Turkish and American officials were carrying on activities with that aim, Logoglu said that sides were exerting efforts to make the solution appropriate to directions of American Congress which were determined during the approval of the loan.
Logoglu expressed Turkey's desire to establish a healthy communication canal between Arabian world and Israel for contribution to the solution of Middle East problem. He also said that Turkey was supporting a solution for Cyprus issue on the basis of the United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan.
Under the agreement which was signed between Turkey and the United States in August, the loan that has ten year maturity will be used within 18 months on four equal tranche.
(GC-AÖ) 17.02.2004