TURKISH PM SAYS DAVOS MEETINGS WERE FRUITFUL

Asia Pulse
February 2, 2009 Monday 12:01 PM EST

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he had very fruitful
talks during the World Economic Forum meetings in Davos.

On his return to Istanbul from Davos, Erdogan said the meetings
discussed the global finance crisis and ways to revive the global
economy.

"I had chance to explain Turkey’s vision and priorities in these
meetings," Erdogan said.

"We also told our views on Central Asia and the Caucasus, as well as
the Gaza issue and future of the Middle East."

Erdogan held talks with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin,
Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Azerbaijan President Ilham
Aliyev, Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha, Dutch Prime Minister
Jan Peter Balkenende, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe Velez, former
British prime minister and Special Envoy of the Quartet for the
Middle East Tony Blair, former U.S. vice president Al Gore, Polish
Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Armenian President Serzh Sargsian and
Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian.

Erdogan said he met with John Lipsky, first deputy managing director
of the International Monetary Fund.

Erdogan said he called on international investors to invest in Turkey
at his talks with business circles.

"They see Turkey as a safe harbor, which is really good for us. I
heard from many of them that they were planning to invest in Turkey
this year," Erdogan stated.