Basesgioglu: Efforts For Employment Of Youth Are Important Investments In Future

Turkish Press
June 13 2005

GENEVA (AA) – Turkish Labor & Social Security Minister Murat
Basesgioglu said, “international efforts for employment of youth and
contributions of International Labor Organization (ILO) to this issue
are important investments in the future of countries, and we support
these efforts.”

Taking the floor at the 93rd General Assembly meeting of ILO in
Switzerland on Tuesday, Basesgioglu said, “social partners and
non-governmental organizations should jointly fight against child
labor for the future of societies.”

“Turkey exerts efforts against this issue especially by concentrating
on girls within the scope of a national policy,” he added.

Basesgioglu said, “the importance of elimination of poverty and
settlement of social justice for social and global peace are among the
basic principles of the ILO. One of the test incidents in this issue
is Palestinian problem which cannot be solved for a half century.”

“The report on ‘Situation of Workers of the Occupied Arab
Territories’ refreshed hopes to solve this problem and a new milieu
has emerged. This chance should not be missed. We want settlement of
a permanent and just peace in the lands,” he added.

“Palestinian Fund for Employment and Social Protection under ILO
will have important contributions to the efforts. Turkey contributed
to this fund last year and also it sent humanitarian aid worth of 1
million USD the same year,” said Basesgioglu.

Meanwhile, Turk-Is (Confederation of Turkish Labor Unions) Chairman
Salih Kilic said that Turkey recorded progress in reflection of ILO
conventions onto Turkish national regulations. Kilic said, “Turkey is
waiting for beginning of EU entry talks. Some circles which do not want
Turkey’s EU membership are trying to affect the process negatively.”

“One of the examples is so-called Armenian genocide claims. Armenian
citizens living in Turkey confirm that Turks did not impose genocide
on Armenians in the history. Assessing several administrative measures
during World War I as genocide without taking into consideration the
historical facts and documents is an unjust accusation which we cannot
accept,” he added.