Friday, 9 October 2009The Turkish economy minister said on Friday that Turkey would make the European Union (EU) a global power.
Turkey's State Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan said that the EU, which was a world leader in economic sense but could not be as successful as that in political sense, would become a global power in real sense, thanks to Turkey.
"If you put the political and economic power of the EU side by side, you will see that EU's overall economic dimension is much more than its political influence," Babacan said during a conference in the French capital of Paris.
The Turkish Industrialists' & Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) and its French interlocutor MEDEF (the French Business Confederation) organized the conference on "French-Turkish Partnership: Being Stronger in Europe and the World" in cooperation with the Union of Chambers & Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB).
Babacan said that the diversity Turkey would add to the EU would make the EU stronger.
The minister said Turkey would also contribute more to the EU particularly in energy security, each passing day.
During his speech, Babacan referred to Turkish-French relations and said that two countries had many commercial partnerships and had deep-rooted relations based on common goals like democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights and liberties.
Babacan also said that Turkey did not have to support its banks during the global economic crisis, which indicated the strength of its financial sector.
The Turkish minister said international organizations showed Turkey among the first European countries that would recover from global crisis.
Babacan said Turkey and France were two countries complementing each other economically, and called on businessmen to cooperate more.
Also speaking in the meeting, Christine Lagarde, the French minister of economy, industry and employment, said that Turkey had become an important actor in global economy with a rapid growth rate in recent years, under Babacan's economy management.
Lagarde eulogized economy management of Babacan, with whom she attended the same U.S. university and worked in the same city.
The French minister said the CEO of a giant Japanese company said he would invest in Turkey in transportation and in Brazil in energy if he had 1 billion Euro.
Also, Lagarde quoted another CEO as saying that he would invest half of his money in China and the other half in Turkey.
"This means that every one is thinking positively about Turkish economy," Lagarde said.
Lagarde said French companies were eager to invest in energy, infrastructure, transportation and water industries in Turkey. |
Friday, 9 October 2009
PARIS (A.A)
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