ISTANBUL - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that Turkey and Germany, which were two members of democratic and free world, were sharing a rooted and significant partnership and added, ''the importance we attribute to democracy, freedom, human rights and supremacy of law is continuing to be basic values that connect our countries to each other.''
Making a speech at German-Turkish Economy Forum held by Turkish-German Industry Chamber, Erdogan said that they were pleased to entertain German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and German businessmen in Turkey.
Erdogan said, ''Turkey and Germany, which are two members of democratic and free world, are sharing a rooted and significant partnership. In a period that we witness to a rapid change in the world, the importance we attribute to democracy, freedom, human rights and supremacy of law are continuing to be the basic values that connect our countries to each other. These common values we share, give the opportunity to our countries for having strong and wide-range relations with a multilateral and multidimensional content. Relations between Turkey and Germany have a special character with its content. Germany is the main partner of Turkey in commercial field. Mutual trade volume has reached to 14 billion Euros annually. Germany ranks the first in financial and technical cooperation field. German capital ranks the third in foreign capital in Turkey with four billion Euros.''
Erdogan stressed that more than three million German tourists were visiting Turkey every year and said that this encouraged integrity between peoples of the two countries.
ERDOGAN: TURKISH AND GERMAN FIRMS HAVE A VERY SERIOUS OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE COOPERATION IN THIRD COUNTRIES
Erdogan said that Turkey has experienced a rapid change process with a new economic program after 2000 and 2001 crisis. He added that the economic successes in spite of Iraq crisis showed that Turkish economy was developing on a sound basis.
Stressing that they were expecting foreign and domestic industry to take steps for investment in 2004, Erdogan said that Turkey, with its unique geographic location, presented wide perspectives to investors who wanted to open to markets that were new and open to development.
Touching on economic relations between Turkey and Germany, Erdogan said, ''Turkish and German firms have very serious opportunities to make cooperation in third countries. Searching for cooperation opportunities in third countries and launching joint initiatives is for the interest of both sides. Thus, successes of Turkish firms in Afghanistan in construction field are important references for their future activities. We are expecting German officials to encourage German firms to launch joint initiatives with our country and firms in third countries.''
Erdogan said that stability milieu was created in Turkey and added that the government was acting with the conscious of the necessity of forming a structure which would ease foreign investment and would eliminate bureaucratic obstacles.
Recalling that Direct Foreign Investments Law had come into effect on June 17, 2003, Erdogan said, ''we are expecting the investments that are made from Germany to Turkey to increase with the new legal arrangements.''
Erdogan said that the tenth meeting of Turkish-German Cooperation Council which would be held in Ankara between March 18 and 19 would have contribution to relations between the two countries.
ERDOGAN: VISION OF EUROPE FOR FUTURE WILL BE FULFILLED WITH THE ACCESSION OF TURKEY TO EU
Erdogan said that Germany had provided Turkey with serious support on the path to EU membership after Helsinki Summit.
Noting that Turkey was a modern country which integrated Islamic culture with democracy culture, Erdogan said that Turkey's accession to EU would change the view of 1.5 billion people of Islamic world about the EU.
Touching on Cyprus issue, Erdogan said that Turkey had taken an important step which had to be taken and it, as a guarantor country, was supporting this step.
Erdogan said, ''what is this step? Regardless of any condition, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) will be one step ahead and we, as Turkey and a guarantor country, are continuously making this suggestion. We are exerting efforts to complete this before May 1. This problem should end. We think that this problem should be eliminated.''
Noting that Turkish entrepreneurs in Germany and German entrepreneurs in Turkey should be encouraged to establish active strategical partnerships in both countries and third countries, Erdogan said that efforts to further develop economic and commercial relations would have important reflections.
Erdogan said, ''I believe we will carry this cooperation to future with solidarity together. This world is enough for all of us. All that is needed is peace, love and brotherhood.''

(AA) 23.02.2004