ANKARA - Economy top-officials said on Monday that the statement of World Bank's Representative to Turkey Ajay Chhibber went beyond its real intention and they conveyed their uneasiness to World Bank's centre in Washington D.C. about his statement.
The statement of Chhibber caused great uneasiness both in economy administration and also in government.
Economy officials said that the statement of Chhibber went beyond the limits both in respect of procedure, content and his authorities as a World Bank official, adding they conveyed their uneasiness about it by contacting with both Chhibber and with the centre of World Bank. High ranking officials called Chhibber and they conveyed their uneasiness to him and also the high ranking officials of the World Bank in Washington D.C.
Officials said that the statement of Chhibber had also political dimension and he used expressions which could cause misinterpretations. Officials reminded that the government set up dialogue and negotiations were carried out both with IMF and also World Bank officials during the formation process of 2003 budget draft and that there was dialogue with Bank's officials about all issues regarding the meetings on Financial Sector Structural Adjustment Loan and Country Assistance Strategy.
Officials stressed that the budget does not give up transfer of direct income support to farmers, and that there was 1.5 quadrillion liras of allocation for such payments in the budget.
CANIKLI:''I CONDEMN STATEMENT OF CHHIBBER''
AK Party deputy Nurettin Canikli said during the discussions on the 2003 year budget at the parliamentary planning and budget commission that he condemned the statement of World Bank's Representative to Turkey Ajay Chhibber.
Canikli said during the discussions in the parliamentary commission that he found very strange the statement of Chhibber, who told Reuters the same day that the budget was against the poor people. ''World Bank is a finance institution, those who represent this organization have to act within the rules of diplomacy,'' Canikli said.
Canikli added ''if the World Bank felt an uneasiness, it should convey that to government officials within rules of courtesy, it should not issue statements in front of the public opinion. I condemn that statement.''
(ÖS) 10.03.2003