ISTANBUL - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Sukru Sina Gurel said on Saturday that the negative effects of globalization can be minimized by regional and global cooperation.
Addressing the opening of the 12th Ministers Council meeting of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), Gurel said that the world went through a great transformation and this affected all countries.
Gurel said that ''the mutual dependency among countries increased the importance of international and regional organisations,'' adding that the benefits of globalization in the world are not distributed in a fair way and its burdens are not also shared fairly.
ECO has a population of 350 millions and it covers an area of eight million squaremeters, Gurel said adding that the organization acepted seven new countries in 1992.
Gurel said that the member countries could not record the progress the they deserve and expect when the big economic potential the organization is taken into consideration.
''Turkey regards ECO as a very important platform in improving the regional economic cooperation,'' Gurel said adding that the organization has to deal with Afghanistan more carefully.
Gurel said that the efforts for peace and stability in Afghanistan which is in a chaotic situation for almost 20 years, will have a positive effect on the region.
Condemning the assassination attack on Karzai, the President of the Afghan Interim Government, Gurel said that ECO has to get the approval of the government in Afghanistan before starting any projects in the region. Gurel stressed that ECO has to choose projects for Afghanistan in fields in which ECO is talented. Gurel said that international finance is necessary for implementation of the projects in Afghanistan, adding that Turkey is resolved to do its best to install peace and stability in this country.
Referring to the economic cooperation studies between ECO member states, Gurel said that ''Turkey respects the principles of Izmir Agreement and we are sure that it will meet the expectations of member countries.''
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Vilayet Guliyev, Kazakh Foreign Minister Talbak Nazarov, deputy foreign minister of Afghan interim government Muhammad Rahim Shirzoy, Deputy Iranian foreign minister Seyed Muhammad Hossein Adeli, Kyrgyz deputy foreign minister Talanbek Kuscubekov, Turkmen Ambassador to Turkey Annagurban Ashyrov and Uzbek Ambassador to Turkey Rustam Isaev attended the meeting headed by Sukru Sina Gurel.