LONDON - Turkish economy had been developing since the beginning of 2003, Turkish State Minister Kursad Tuzmen said on Wednesday.
Tuzmen, who attended the ball held by Turkish-British Chamber of Commerce and Industry in British capital London, said that the chamber laid suitable groundwork for future cooperation between Turkey and Britain.
Turkish State Minister Tuzmen said that radical changes were made to the economy management in Turkey.
Tuzmen noted that inflation and interest rates had fallen to the lowest level in Turkey while the national income per capita rose to its highest level in recent years.
Exports from Turkey had rose in recent years, Tuzmen stated.
Tuzmen said that Turkey was currently exporting 19 thousand products to 200 different markets.
Turkey had obtained 47 billion U.S. dollars from exports in 2003, Tuzmen pointed out.
Tuzmen said that Turkey's exports rose by 30 percent in 2003 when compared with 2002.
Touching on Iraq issue, Tuzmen said that Turkey had wide cooperation opportunities with other countries in Iraq thanks to its geographical closeness, historical and cultural ties with Iraq.
Tuzmen pointed out that Turkey was a perfect partner for other countries for making joint investments in Iraq and called on British businessmen to establish new partnerships with Turkish businessmen in Iraq.
Those partnerships and cooperation between Turkish and British governments would help Iraq's reconstruction and heal wounds of Iraqi people, Tuzmen stressed.
Tuzmen said that Turkey and Britain were in fact big trade partners.
Britain was the fifth country from which Turkey important and third country to which Turkey exported, Tuzmen stated.
Tuzmen noted that Britain was the only European Union (EU) member country where Turkey sold more products than it bought.
Turkish State Minister Tuzmen called on Turkish and British businessmen to exert more efforts to increase the existing trade volume and stressed that the chamber had undertaken great responsibilities in that respect.
Tuzmen, who came to Britain earlier on Wednesday, will go to Greece on Thursday together with a delegation of nearly 100 businessmen.
Turkish State Minister Tuzmen will hold talks both in Athens and Salonica.
(BRC) 21.04.2004