Firm Stand | Politically and Economically

Recently, Ali Babacan[1], Deputy Prime Minister for Economic and Financial Affairs ,Republic of Turkey was at a meeting at the U.S. think-tank Atlantic Council in Washington. Mavi Boncuk | Turkey's deputy prime minister said on Friday that Turkey would not join political meetings to be hosted by the Greek Cypriots when the Greek Cypriot administration took over the rotating presidency of the European Union (EU).


Ali Babacan said Turkey would maintain its relations with the EU in technical level during the Greek Cypriot presidency of the EU. "However, we will not join political meetings to be hosted by the Greek Cypriots." Babacan said during a meeting at the U.S. think-tank Atlantic Council in Washington. 
   
On Euro zone financial crisis, Babacan said European countries should keep their commitments to overcome the financial crisis. 
"2012 will be a test year for the Euro zone," he said. Babacan said the inflation in Turkey was slightly over country's expectations, and the current accounts deficit was also high. "We decided to maintain firm financial policies in order to have a sustainable economic growth," Babacan also said.

Introduction by: Lt. Gen. Brent Scowcroft, USAF (ret.) Chairman, International Advisory Board Council 
Moderated by: Frederick Kempe President and CEO, Atlantic Council 
DATE: Friday, April 20, 2012 | TIME: 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. 
LOCATION: The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 1150 22nd Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037

Turkey's Perspectives on the G-20 and Global Finance

Video streaming by Ustream [1] Ali Babacan has served as the Republic of Turkey’s deputy prime minister responsible for economic and financial affairs since May 2009. He launched his political career in 2001 by co-founding Turkey’s Justice and Development Party and was elected to Parliament the following year. In 2002, he was appointed minister of treasury, and recently served as minister of foreign affairs before Prime Minister Erdoğan named him deputy prime minister. Mr. Babacan was Turkey’s chief negotiator during the country’s EU accession negotiations in 2005. He holds a degree in industrial engineering from the Middle East Technical University, as well as an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Featuring