ANKARA - President Ahmet Sezer left for Tehran to attend the fourth summit of heads of state and government of developing eight countries (D-8).
Speaking to reporters before leaving for Iran, Sezer said he would attend the 4th summit of heads of state and government of D-8 countries that would take place in Tehran, stating that he would visit Iran as the guest of Iranian President Mohammad Khatami. Sezer said State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener would accompany him.
Sezer said representatives of institutions, linked with State Minister Sener, had earlier gone to Tehran to participate in meetings which were made prior to the Summit.
Stating that Turkey, which is covering a multi-dimensional foreign policy, attributed importance to the studies of D-8 countries, adding that, ''D-8, which had been formed in 1997, having the quality of a global formation rather than regional in respect to its principles and geographical area, targets improvement of cooperation among member countries in economy and trade, betterment of position of member countries in world economy, and participation of international decision mechanisms strongly.''
Sezer said the stage reached in cooperation of D-8 member countries would be evaluated at the summit and the sides would exchange views to further improve their cooperation.
Sezer said, ''we will focus on facilities to add momentum to the studies of D-8 member countries and discuss a series of measures envisaging increase of efficiency and productivity.''
Sezer said ministers of member countries and commissioners of D-8 member countries met between February 15 and 16 in Tehran to record progress, and that he learned that Second Business Forum of Developing Eight Countries had taken place in Tehran between February 14 and 15.
Sezer said studies of the summit would end with announcement of Final Statement on Wednesday, stating that, ''I wish the summit to be beneficial for our country, serve to the strengthening of cooperation and solidarity among member countries, and contribute to the solution of problems which are on the agenda.''
(AY-AÖ) 17.02.2004