Turkey To Present Three-year Economy Program To E.U. By December

ANKARA, Sept 22 (AFP) - Turkey will present a new three-year economic program to the European Union by December 1 ahead of a crucial decision on whether it is ready for accession talks with the bloc, Turkish Economy Minister Ali Babacan said Wednesday in a report carried by Anatolia news agency.
"The new program will not depend on any financial assistance from the EU. It will focus on structural reforms," Babacan told a conference here.
He said the program would be handed over to EU officials between October 1 and December 1.
EU leaders will decide on December 17 whether Turkey has fulfilled the required political conditions to start membership talks.
Economic critiria, however, will not play part in the decision.
Turkey, hit by a severe financial crisis in 2001, is currently implementing a tight recovery program, backed by multi-billion-dollar loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
In return for the aid, Ankara has implemented far-reaching reforms, which have helped it stabilize its troubled banking system, decrease chronic inflation and boost growth.
The three-year stand-by deal expires in February 2005.
IMF officials started talks with Turkish business leaders and government officials last week on a new three-year program.