BAKU - Turkish Labor and Social Security Minister Murat Basesgioglu said on Friday that they have seen that Turkish businessmen who were active in Azerbaijan were welcomed with pleasure and appreciation.
Basesgioglu who is currently in Baku, Azerbaijan said that Labor Undersecretariat has started to function a short time ago in Baku and added that they have seen during their meetings that it was an appropriate decision.
Noting that social insurance concept has not formed in Azerbaijan yet, but activities for it were continuing, Basesgioglu said that Turkey and Azerbaijan had signed administrative agreement on implementation of Social Security Contract yesterday and added that various problems in working life would be overcome more easily with this important agreement.
Noting that Turkish firms in Azerbaijan were employing nearly 30 thousand people, Basesgioglu said that Azerbaijani administration had some programs to decrease unemployment and to open 600 thousand new business places, adding that it would be beneficial that Turkish businessmen would support those projects.
Recalling that Turkey was within the European Union (EU) accession process, Basesgioglu stressed that Turkey did not undervalue Turkish Republics and said that Turkey's consideration of Azerbaijan and other Turkish Republics did not lessen.
Noting that Turkish businessmen had important responsibilities to undertake in Turkish Republics in Central Asia besides Azerbaijan, Basesgioglu said that the world was focused on this geography due to the energy resources it had.
Basesgioglu was also received by Azerbaijani Prime Minister Artur Rasizade.
(GC-AÖ) 07.05.2004