Turkish - German Chamber Of Commerce And Industry Inaugurated

ERDOGAN: I INVITE GERMAN BUSINESSMEN TO MAKE MORE INVESTMENTS IN TURKEY
COLOGNE - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said, ''I invite German businessmen to make more investments in Turkey.''
The Turkish-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry established jointly by the Union of Turkish Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) and the Union of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Cologne was inaugurated by Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on Tuesday.
Turkish State Minister Kursad Tuzmen, Turkish Industry and Trade Minister Ali Coskun, bureaucrats, businessmen and journalists were in attendance at the inauguration.
Speaking at the inauguration, Prime Minister Erdogan said, ''Turkey has achieved recent developments with its own sources to a great degree. Actually, the financial aid of the European Union (EU) since 1980s was not sufficient at all to meet requirements of Turkey. Unfortunately, the EU failed to keep most of its promises under the Customs Union. I do not tell these to criticize or accuse the EU. I want to stress that Turkey has achieved recent developments and economic growth with its own sources to a great degree without taking any assistance from the EU. Current public surveys revealed that 70 percent of Turkish people is in favor of Turkey's becoming a full member of the EU. Our people expressed their wish to live in a more democratic country respecting for human rights. This change in expectations of Turkish people is the sign of their increasing conscious about the EU and positive impacts of our reform process.''
''I believe that a Turkey, which integrates itself with the EU market by fulfilling necessary structural reforms, will be a source of economic dynamism for the EU. On the other hand, Turkey is located in the center of transportation and energy networks between Europe and Caucasia, Central Asia and Middle East. Therefore, Turkey is of great strategic importance in regard to sustainable development of European economy,'' he stressed.
Prime Minister Erdogan invited German businessmen to make more investments in Turkey.
''Despite all ups and downs in the 40-year history of Turkey-the EU relations, we have never deviated from our target of EU full membership. We all know that the EU's setting a date for opening of accession talks with Turkey will not mean Turkey's immediate accession to the EU. Such a decision will corroborate the EU's will to support Turkey's steps to adjust itself to EU political norms. Also, the EU will display its determination to form its future on the basis of the principle of 'unity within diversity'. The EU's making a decision to set a date for opening of accession talks with Turkey will further strengthen the dialogue and the co-operation between the Islam and the Christian worlds by leading to integration of Turkey having a mostly Muslim population to Europe. I want to call on the EU-member countries to think carefully about consequences of any negative decision,'' he said.
Prime Minister Erdogan thanked the German government for its support to Turkey's EU membership process.
''The intense discussions both in Turkish public opinion and the EU public opinion about Turkey's EU membership process are the signals of importance attributed by Turkey and the EU to each other. However, I have some serious concerns about appropriate briefing of public opinions of the sides. Presence of different points of views is quite natural. But, we face with extremely distorted and prejudices allegations sometimes. We cannot accept them,'' Prime Minister Erdogan added.
TURKEY WILL DEFINITELY REACH END OF TUNNEL
Erdogan said, ''we have seen the light at the end of the tunnel, but we can't reach the end yet. But, be sure that we will reach the end of the tunnel.''
Erdogan expressed pleasure with developing Turkish-German relations and stressed that two countries were going towards a strategic partnership.
Expressing sincere belief that Turkey's economic success on the road to integration with the European Union (EU) would increase cooperation potential with Germany, Erdogan said, ''I would like to confirm that we will support every initiative of businessmen as Turkish and German governments. You should share not only your success but also your problems with us. We are open to your criticisms, contributions and proposals.''
Erdogan stated that international economic balances had been exposed to a strong globalization process.
Staying out of regional blocks in such a system would be a potential threat for every country, Erdogan said.
Erdogan noted that when the EU completed its enlargement, it would become the biggest trade block in the world, having a border from Atlantic Ocean to the east of Europe and to the Russian-Ukrainian border and a border which reached Turkey in the Balkans, being a unity with 500 million population, which had completed its integration in many aspects, an a union which had ensured customs union, single market, monetary and economic union and political union.
When he imagined Turkey as an effective member of that bloc, his belief in the common future increased, Erdogan stressed.
Erdogan said, ''it is true that we currently have economic problems and structural imbalance. Some circles show them as chronic problems and claim that Turkey will be a burden on EU not an economic advantage. I respect to these views. But, I think that these claims are baseless since they are depended on today's situation not Turkey's real potential. That is why I want to talk about figures not claims.''
Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan went on saying, ''foreign trade deficit of 15 EU member countries was around 11 billion Euro in 2003. EU's trade with Turkey had a surplus of 4 billion EU, which is equal to one-third of EU's overall foreign trade deficit. In other words, Turkey financed a great deal of EU's foreign trade deficit on its own. It is obvious that EU, in general, and Germany, in private, will have a wider exports potential in future which will complete the necessary structural reform process and which will increase its economic flexibility and market.''
''Will advantages of Turkish economy to Europe be limited with the free movement advantage provided by the customs union,'' Erdogan asked.
Erdogan said, ''should Turkey's population about 70 million be only a concern for the EU? Won't this young and dynamic population serve moves to close the expected future labor force deficit (not only through physical power but also through mental power) in Europe?''
EU members were concerned about a big immigration wave of Turkish citizens in case Turkey joined the EU, Erdogan noted.
However, Erdogan said, many Turkish workers and families living in EU member countries had returned to Turkey after they had provided themselves with sufficient economic conditions.
Around two and a half million Turks returned to Turkey since 1960s, Erdogan stated.
Erdogan said, ''so, will the wave of migration from Turkey to EU countries be as big as feared if Turkey became an EU member?''
Turkish citizens living in EU countries including Germany had incredible contributions to economies of those countries, Erdogan pointed out.
Erdogan said that Turkey had been hit by two earthquakes and two big financial crises.
High inflation rates, economic inefficiency, complicated bureaucratic hurdles and corruption prevented Turkey from showing its real economic potential, Erdogan stated.
Erdogan said that Turkish economy grew by 8 percent in 2002 and 5 percent in 2003 despite all those negative factors.
Turkey forecast that national income per capita would exceed 10 thousand U.S. dollars within 20 years, Erdogan noted.
Erdogan recalled that inflation rates in February and March 2004 were the lowest in the last 20 years and said that inflation rate reduced to a single-digit figure in those months for the first time in 20 years.
Turkey had raised an income of 47.9 billion U.S. dollars through exports in 2003, Erdogan said.
Erdogan stated that Turkey's foreign trade volume reached 115 billion U.S. dollars in 2003.
Touching on positive economic arrangements, Erdogan said, ''we have seen the light at the end of the tunnel, but we can't reach the end yet. But, be sure that we will reach the end of the tunnel.''
Erdogan stated that Turkey should attach more importance and give priority to inflow of foreign capital, privatization and employment.
Bureaucratic hurdles before establishment of companies had been reduced, Erdogan said.
Erdogan pointed out that efforts continued to rehabilitate investment environment.
''We are determined to continue structural reforms. To this end, we have formed a structural reform road map for 2004. We aim to ensure a sustainable public finance, adjust banking sector with international norms, and pave the way for private investments. We know that we still have deficiencies. But, we prefer to overcome these deficiencies instead of ignoring them as we do for political reforms,'' Erdogan added.
Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan left for Germany to attend inauguration of Turkish-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and to hold a series of meetings on Monday evening.
Turkish State Minister Kursad Tuzmen, Industry and Trade Minister Ali Coskun, some deputies and businessmen are accompanying Erdogan during his visit.

(UK-AY) 27.04.2004