Turkey Needs To Be Careful With Operational Risks, Turkish State Minister

ANKARA - Turkish State Minister and Deputy Premier Nazim Ekren said on Monday that Turkey was going through a period during which it should be quite careful with operational risks.
Economy Coordination Committee convened under the presidency of Ekren in capital Ankara.
Turkish State Minister and Deputy Premier Hayati Yazici, State Ministers Mehmet Simsek and Kursad Tuzmen, Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan, Industry & Trade Minister Zafer Caglayan, Labor Minister Faruk Celik, as well as high-level bureaucrats and representatives of the business world attended the meeting.
Commenting on the global economic crisis, Ekren said that decisions taken by the economy officials of foreign countries might have consequences that could create unfair competition for Turkey.
"Therefore, we should consider and evaluate the additional initiatives that might arise as a result of the crisis management processes of other countries, even though the problems do not directly concern us," Ekren said.
Ekren also said that Turkey currently had a stronger structure thanks to fiscal discipline.
"In terms of foreign exchange reserves, we also have a stronger and more protected structure compared to the past," he said.
He also said that economy officials attached great importance to cooperation with the private sector.
Ekren said the offers and recommendations to be expressed by the representatives of the private sector would be included in Turkey`s 2009 program for the first time.
Noting that the program would be released next week, Ekren said precautions that would improve the individual, institutional and social prosperity in Turkey would also be included in the program.
Commenting on the national program that was recently completed and would be approved by the Council of Ministers soon, Ekren said Turkey desired to reach the EU average in inflation and interest rates by taking new initiatives in the upcoming period.
"A functioning market economy and a real sector that will be resistant against the pressure of competition coming form EU and the global economy will be on our agenda as well," Ekren said.
(DO-CE)
(ECO)