Anadolu Agency, Turkey
Jan 29 2009
Turkish premier comments on talks with IMF, Azeri-Armenian dispute
Davos, 29 January: Turkey’s prime minister [Recep Tayyip Erdogan] said
today that he had a quite fruitful meeting with the IMF’s
(International Monetary Fund) deputy director yesterday.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is currently in the
Swiss town of Davos to attend the annual meeting of the World Economic
Forum, replied to reporters’ questions on IMF and Turkish-Armenian
relations.
Commenting on his recent meeting with John Lipsky, the IMF’s first
deputy managing director, 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.
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.
Erdogan said that Turkey’s current debt to the IMF was about 8.7bn
dollars.
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
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.