BRUSSELS - Turkish Industry and Trade Minister Ali Coskun said on Wednesday that Turkey would speed up scientific researches and allocate more money on science and researches.
Coskun attended the opening ceremony of Turkish Research and Business Organizations-Public/Private Partnership in Belgian capital Brussels.
In the ceremony, Coskun said that the year 2004 was very important for Turkey-European Union (EU) relations and Turkey would be given a date to start full membership negotiations with EU at the end of the year.
Coskun pointed out that Turkish Research and Business Organizations-Public/Private Partnership started to operate in Brussels and stressed the importance of functions of the organization.
Turkey had met as many Copenhagen criteria as possible in 2003, Coskun noted.
Coskun said that steps taken by the Turkish government had created a positive atmosphere.
Noting that EU member countries were expected to allocate 3 percent of their budget on scientific researches till 2010, Coskun said that this rate was only 0.006 percent in Turkey.
Coskun stated that the target of the Turkish government was to increase this rate to 2 percent in coming years.
The world had entered into an age of competition after commercial obstacles were lifted and customs gates were demolished, Coskun said.
Coskun pointed out that technology was the most important means in having competitive power in the world.
Thus, Turkey was opening the Turkish Research and Business Organizations-Public/Private Partnership in Brussels in coordination with its public, private sector and with universities, Coskun said.
Stressing that he considered future of Turkey-EU relations very positive, Coskun said that Turkey's accession to EU would increase power and esteem of the Union.
(BRC) 24.03.2004