ANKARA (AA) - Turkish state minister Kursad Tuzmen has stated on Monday that Eximbank will provide more than eight billion U.S. dollars to Turkish exporters in 2005.
Tuzmen told a press conference that the annual conference of the World Free Zone Convention and the general council meeting of the World Economic Processing Zones Association will take place in Izmir in April, 2005.
''We have signed Free Trade agreements with Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia and Syria in 2004. We hope to sign similar agreements with Egypt, Albania and Lebanon in 2005. We will hold official talks with South Africa Customs Union and start negotiations with Algeria, Jordan, Mexico, Chile, Serbia-Montenegro and Mercosur in the upcoming weeks of 2005,'' said Tuzmen.
Turkey expects its exports in 2005 to be well over 75 billion U.S. dollars, told Tuzmen. ''During its 100th anniversary (in 2023), the Turkish republic's exports will be around 500 billion U.S. dollars,'' remarked Tuzmen.
Turkey's imports also increased in 2004. ''In the period January-November 2004, our imports reached a total value of 86.8 billion U.S. dollars,'' expressed Tuzmen. By the end of 2005, Turkey is expected to have imports valued at 95.5 billion U.S. dollars. ''An increase in imports is inevitable when the national income, industrial production and exports rise,'' stressed Tuzmen.
(ES-A֩
2005-01-03