GENEVA (AA) - Turkish Labor & Social Security Minister Murat Basesgioglu said, ''international efforts for employment of youth and contributions of International Labor Organization (ILO) to this issue are important investments in the future of countries, and we support these efforts.''
Taking the floor at the 93rd General Assembly meeting of ILO in Switzerland on Tuesday, Basesgioglu said, ''social partners and non-governmental organizations should jointly fight against child labor for the future of societies.''
''Turkey exerts efforts against this issue especially by concentrating on girls within the scope of a national policy,'' he added.
Basesgioglu said, ''the importance of elimination of poverty and settlement of social justice for social and global peace are among the basic principles of the ILO. One of the test incidents in this issue is Palestinian problem which cannot be solved for a half century.''
''The report on 'Situation of Workers of the Occupied Arab Territories' refreshed hopes to solve this problem and a new milieu has emerged. This chance should not be missed. We want settlement of a permanent and just peace in the lands,'' he added.
''Palestinian Fund for Employment and Social Protection under ILO will have important contributions to the efforts. Turkey contributed to this fund last year and also it sent humanitarian aid worth of 1 million USD the same year,'' said Basesgioglu.
Meanwhile, Turk-Is (Confederation of Turkish Labor Unions) Chairman Salih Kilic said that Turkey recorded progress in reflection of ILO conventions onto Turkish national regulations.
Kilic said, ''Turkey is waiting for beginning of EU entry talks. Some circles which do not want Turkey's EU membership are trying to affect the process negatively.''
''One of the examples is so-called Armenian genocide claims. Armenian citizens living in Turkey confirm that Turks did not impose genocide on Armenians in the history. Assessing several administrative measures during World War I as genocide without taking into consideration the historical facts and documents is an unjust accusation which we cannot accept,'' he added.
2005-06-07