NEW YORK - Turkish State Minister Ali Babacan, who is currently in the United States to attend the spring term meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the meetings of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, attended a conference entitled, ''the Fifth Summit of Economic Policies - Banking Sector and Monetary Issues'' organized by Economists' Forum.
Stating that Turkey recorded an economic growth of 5.9 percent in 2003 and it was a great success, Babacan said that this growth rate was not realized by budget deficit, inflation or foreign debt.
Babacan said that they fulfilled reforms in agriculture, Social Security Agency (SSK), tax, electricity market and health system.
In regard to relations with IMF, Babacan noted that they would decide how relations with IMF would continue by considering choices and added that they would make public this issue before the end of 2004.
Babacan stated that Turkey which provided harmony between Islam, secularism and democracy became a model for other regional countries.
Babacan said that if Turkey became a full member of the European Union (EU), there would be a very different atmosphere and it would change many things and noted that it would show that there could be a sound relation between cultures of the East and the West.
On Friday, Babacan will proceed from New York to Washington D.C.
He will hold talks with U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow, IMF First Deputy Managing Director Anne Krueger, economy ministers of Australia and Italy, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell's assistant for economic affairs.
Babacan will return to New York on Monday to attend the meetings of the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
(EÖ-UK) 23.04.2004