ANKARA, ASHGABAT EXCHANGE MESSAGES ON ENERGY COOPERATION
President Abdullah Gul recently sent a letter to his Turkmen counterpart, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, expressing support for Ashgabat's policy of diversifying energy transportation routes. "Turkey supports the policy of friendly and brotherly Turkmenistan on the diversification of energy transportation routes," he wrote. "I am confident that by pursuing this policy, Turkmenistan, with its abundant resources, will make a significant contribution to transporting gas to Turkey, and through Turkey to the West." He added, "There is no doubt that the Turkmenistan-China gas pipeline that took energy cooperation between Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and China to a new level will also have a positive impact on regional development and stability." In his letter, Gul also said transporting Turkmen gas to the West through Turkey would strengthen Ashgabat's energy policy. Last month, Johann Gallistl, vice president of the Nabucco pipeline consortium, said energy-rich Turkmenistan could become a top supplier to fill the pipeline. The Western-backed, 7.9 billion-euro, 3,300-kilometer pipeline is aimed at reducing Europe's dependence on Russian gas. The pipeline is planned to run from Turkey through Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and end in Austria, circumventing Russia. In a telephone conversation on Friday, Berdimuhamedov invited Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to attend the opening ceremony of a new Turkmenistan-Iran gas pipeline designed to supplement the existing Korpezhe-Kurt Kui pipeline, which transports 8.4 billion cubic meters of Turkmen gas to Iran. Erdogan, for his part, reiterated Turkey's expectation that Turkmenistan will support Nabucco. /Today's Zaman/

90TH ANNIVERSARY OF ATATURK'S ARRIVAL IN ANKARA MARKED
The 90th anniversary of Turkish Republic's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's arrival in Ankara was celebrated yesterday in a series of activities in the capital. A ceremony in the Dikmen district, where Ataturk first stepped into Ankara, began with one minute of silence followed by the national anthem and military marches. "There are such dates in which the nation's character, struggles, determination and heroism are embedded," Parliament Speaker Mehmet Ali Sahin Sahin told the ceremony. "Dec. 27, 1919 is such a date." The ceremony was also attended by President Abdullah Gul, Ankara Governor Kemal Onal, Ankara Greater Municipality Mayor Melih Gokcek, Ankara Garrison Commander Mehmet Emin Alpman, and large crowds of locals. Sahin called Ataturk's arrival in Ankara a milestone in the Turkish people's struggle to determine their own destiny and break the chains of foreign occupation. In his message marking the day, Gul said the enthusiastic welcome of thousands of Ankarans and people coming from surrounding provinces had encouraged and heartened Ataturk and his colleagues in their fight for national independence. Also speaking at the ceremony, Onal said, "Before Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's arrival in Ankara, his belief and spirit created hope among the people of Ankara." A marathon was held in Ankara to mark the anniversary, and Gul presented the top three runners in the men's and women's races with medals. /Turkiye/

ERDOGAN PREDICTS QUICK RECOVERY FOR TURKEY NEXT YEAR
Turkey will be one of the first nations to emerge from the economic crisis as predicted by international organizations, surpassing even Ankara's own growth projections, stated Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday. Speaking to the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) in Istanbul, Erdogan spoke about the 3.7 percent growth rate predicted by the International Monetary Fund and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for 2010, saying the government was working to meet the modest 3.5 percent prediction set by its medium-term economic program. Touting the strength of the Turkish banking sector, Erdogan told how 158 US banks have gone under since the beginning of the crisis, compared to none in Turkey, thanks to the reforms of the past seven years. He added that the capital adequacy ratio of 20.4 percent of Turkish banks rivals those of many Western nations, including the US, Canada, and Germany. Calling the just-passed 2010 budget a "recovery budget," Erdogan said that critics in Parliament were trying to exploit the economic crisis to attack the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party). "The great people of our nation know the realities and necessities," Erdogan added. He said that although unemployment this year jumped 3 points to 13 percent, other developing nations suffered much sharper unemployment increases due to the crisis. /Today's Zaman/

EXPORTERS SEE MORE PROFITABLE YEAR AHEAD
As signs of recovery from the global financial crisis have become obvious in the last quarter of the year, exporters feel more optimistic about the year ahead, Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TIM) President Mehmet Buyukeksi said over the weekend, stating a goal of $111 billion in exports for 2010. Buyukeksi, speaking to the Anatolia news agency, stated that though exports were hurt by the crisis throughout the year, improving macroeconomic figures point to a recovery and a better year ahead. "It's clear we're at the end of the crisis," he said. "2010 will be a year of recovery, and global trade will be rejuvenated with this recovery. Our target for 2010 is to raise exports to $111 billion." Stressing that exporters will continue to seek alternative markets next year, he added that they place great importance on neighboring and regional countries. Since there have been agreements with some countries on political issues, economic cooperation with these countries has also been successful, he said, adding that they hope that commerce between Turkey and these countries will grow in the year ahead. African, Latin American and Far Eastern markets also carry great importance for exporters, Buyukeksi stressed, adding that trade with these markets will continue. Buyukeksi said he also hopes exports to developing countries will grow in 2010, as the recovery picks up pace in global markets. /Today's Zaman/

FREE TRADE DEALS HELP TURKEY AVOID FALLOUT FROM CRISIS
Free trade agreements constitute an important tool in developing economic cooperation, encouraging liberalization of goods trade and establishing fair competitive conditions in bilateral trade. Exports to the countries Turkey has signed free trade agreements with rose 10 percent in the first 10 months of 2009, even as Turkey's aggregate exports dropped 28 percent. Free trade deals helped Turkey ameliorate the fallout from the economic crisis and supported an increase in exports, figures show. In 2008, exports to countries Turkey has deals with totaled $12 billion, and their share of overall exports was 10 percent. To date Turkey has signed free trade agreements with 26 countries to harmonize with the European Union's preferential customs regimes within the scope of the Customs Union, according to the Foreign Trade Undersecretariat. Talks on new free trade deals are currently underway with Lebanon, the Gulf Cooperation Council (which includes the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain), and MERCOSUR, a regional trade agreement among Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, the Faroe Islands, Ukraine, Mauritius, Seychelles and Libya. The aim is to complete the deals as soon as possible. There are also initiatives to launch free trade talks with countries and blocs such as Algiers, Mexico, the Southern African Customs Union, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). /Hurriyet Daily News/