ISTANBUL (A.A) - 03.07.2002 - Transportation Minister Oktay Vural said on Wednesday that Turkey aimed to reach its electronic Europe goals by the end of 2006.
The symposium at which feasibility studies related to Southeastern Europe Telecommunication Academy (SETA) which is planned to be established to serve to Southeastern European countries will be taken up, began in Istanbul.
Vural who spoke at the opening of the symposium said that telecommunication sector was one of the most important actors of economic change currently.
He said that Turkey wanted to expand to regional cooperation towards ensuring peace and stability in its region.
Vural said, ''one of our basic parameters is being a full member of the European Union (EU). We can further develop existing relations as there is no more instability and uncertainty in Southeastern Europe. SETA is a project towards improving the cooperation in the region. We are also ready to give full support to the cooperation in telecommunication field in Southeastern Europe. SETA's methods are as important as its targets.''
Touching on the structural changes in telecommunication field in Turkey, Vural recalled that the number of subscribers of GSM operators was 19,3 million in Turkey.
He said that one of the most important problems in telecommunication field was digital difference between developed and undeveloped countries in the world and added that Turkey was attributing great importance to fill this gap.
Vural stated that the competition in information and telecommunication was aimed in 5-year development plan, adding that the works for decreasing the responsibility of the state in those fields would continue.
Vural said that they gave full support to the electronic Europe initiative aiming the development of the information technologies of the candidate countries of the EU.
He went on to say, ''there are four goals of Electronic Europe: Providing infrastructure of informatics society, cheaper and safe internet environment and increasing investments in human resources and usage of internet. Turkey aims to reach its electronic Europe targets by the end of 2006.''
The Institute of Southeastern Europe Telecommunication and Informatics Research (INA) Chairman Vassili Takas said that they held a symposium in Skopje in January 2002 and added that they decided to carry out feasibility studies related to SETA.
Takas who stated that SETA which they expected to play an important role in telecommunication field would also play an intermediary role among consultancy companies.
Takas said that SETA would provide technical, legal and financial support in Southeastern Europe and added that SETA would be focal point in the distribution of information.
Takas added that the following meeting on SETA would be held in Sofia in December.