IMF TO CARRY OUT WORKS ON TURKEY IN NEXT TEN DAYS

Jan 29 2009
Turkey

Turkish PM in Davos replied to reporters’ questions on IMF and
Turkish-Armenian relations.

Turkey’s prime minister said Thursday that IMF would carry out some
works in the next ten days.

Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is currently in the Swiss
town of Davos to attend the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum
(WEF), replied to reporters’ questions on IMF and Turkish-Armenian
relations.

Prime Minister Erdogan said that the IMF would carry out some works
in the next ten days. "After ten days, it will be up to the IMF to
sign an agreement with Turkey," he said.

Commenting on his recent meeting with John Lipsky, First Deputy
Managing Director of IMF, Erdogan said that Turkey’s comprehensive
talks with the fund would continue.

"I believe yesterday’s meeting was quite fruitful. I have seen that
there was no negative outcome and there was an approach towards a
solution. I hope we will reach a conclusion soon," he said.

Erdogan said that Turkey’s current debt to the Fund was about 8.7
billion USD.

Upon a question about his scheduled meeting with President Serzh
Sargsian of Armenia later in the day, Prime Minister Erdogan said,
"as you know, I met with President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan yesterday
evening. Our talks will constitute a frame for today’s meeting with
President Sargsian. We cannot leave Azerbaijan alone about the Upper
Karabakh dispute. Armenia should display the necessary understanding
to this end. If Armenia acts sincerely, today’s meeting could pave
way to a road map."

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Erdogan held bilateral talks with Prime
Minister Sali Berisha of Albania.