WASHINGTON D.C., Jan 15 (A.A) - Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit partook in a luncheon hosted in his honor by the U.S. Chambers of Commerce, the American-Turkish Council and the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) on Tuesday.
Speaking at the luncheon, Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''the whole world understood the fact that importance and power of friendly relations between Turkey and the United States has increased considerably in the wake of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Turkey finds itself in the middle of many regional crises and clashes because of its geostrategical position. Therefore, Turkey has the second biggest army in NATO defense system.''
Recalling that Turkey purchased most of its defense requirements from the U.S. defense companies, Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''Turkey was invited to join the G-20 countries within framework of power and dynamism of its economy.''
Referring to negative impacts of international political and economic crises on Turkish economy in the last decade, Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''Turkey suffered a loss of 50 billion U.S. dollars as a result of the Gulf War. Economic crises in Asia and Russia, two massive earthquake disasters in 1999 and the events of September 11 did not help Turkey to overcome its economic difficulties. However, Turkish economy has achieved a great success in opening to the world.''
Giving information about economic, administrative and reconstruction programmes in Turkey since formation of the coalition government, Prime Minister Ecevit said that they had provided great facilities to foreign investors, and called on American businessmen to make more investments in Turkey.
He said that Turkey aimed at creating a more sound economy through the progremme implemented with the support of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.
Prime Minister Ecevit said that Turkey and United States could develop joint projects in agriculture, foodstuff, textiles, energy, mining and in many other sectors.
''We welcome the support of the United States. The United States extended support to Turkey especially after last year's economic crisis. Our foreign policy targets and priorities have been accelerating further improvement of economic and commercial relations between Turkey and the United States. In fact, it has always been our goal to carry our economic and commercial relations with the United States to the level of the strategical partnership between the two countries. However, we need to work more in order to achieve this goal,'' he stressed.
''Annual trade volume between Turkey and the United States is only 7 billion U.S. dollars. The United States has a five percent share in Turkey's importation market. American companies made only 11.5 percent of foreign investments in Turkey in 2000. Turkey decreased taxes on American goods and services through the Customs Union, and created a better market for American goods. However, taxes on Turkish goods in the United States are still high. We are aware of the fact that commerce is a sensitive issue in the United States. However, we believe that we could sign a trade agreement that would be beneficial for both countries. Existing mechanisms are not adequate to reach this goal. We hope that talks would start in a short period of time,'' he said.
Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''recent tragic developments unveiled the importance of sound friendship between Turkey and the United States. Turkey and the United States have stood together against all difficulties for the last 50 years. Now, we should expend more efforts to improve our commercial and economic relations.''
Prime Minister Ecevit said that he had held beneficial meetings with U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney and World Bank President James Wolfensohn.
He said that strategical partnership had been improving between Turkey and the United States since the events of September 11.
''Both Turkey and the United States have been contributing to development of Afghanistan. Afghanistan was ignored before Taliban regime. Now, Afghanistan's strategical importance has been realized,'' he said.
Underlining importance of cooperation between Turkey and the United States in Afghanistan's rebuilding, Prime Minister Ecevit said that Turkey was experienced to this end.
Responding a question, Prime Minister Ecevit said that Turkey took serious its relations with the IMF and the World Bank.
''We have been cooperating with the IMF and the World Bank also on social issues. We attribute great importance to social justice,'' he said.
Responding a question about the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP), Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''the United States extended great support to efforts of Turkey and Britain to agree on a formula. However, Greece raised some objections. Greece claimed that it did not have any intention to occupy Turkey. We do not consider Greece's statement convincing.''