Guler: "Nabucco will ensure energy security not only in Turkey but also in Europe"

Speaking at a conference in Baku on "Oil and Gas Potential in Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan: Energy, Economy and Ecology Cooperation Strategy," Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler yesterday said Turkey is working on a number of new goals, including the Nabucco natural gas pipeline project. He said that Nabucco will be accomplished, just like the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum natural gas pipeline projects. Guler also said that Nabucco would ensure energy security not only in Turkey but also in Europe.

The Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TIM) yesterday elected Mehmet Buyukeksi its new president in a regular general assembly meeting in Istanbul. Buyukeksi, succeeding Oguz Satici, won the votes of 201 delegates, compared to 125 for Adnan Dalgakiran, the only other candidate. State Minister for Foreign Trade Kursad Tuzmen also attended the meeting. Congratulating the new president, Tuzmen said, "I believe that Turkey's exports will reach $200 billion during Buyukeksi's tenure. We can realize this goal by 2012 at the latest. Our target for 2023 is $500 billion." Stressing that Turkey has shaken off economic weaknesses to become stronger and more resistant to global shocks, Tuzmen also touched on recent global economic woes, saying, "The US government just took control of the world's biggest mortgage finance companies. The situation in the global economy is changing considerably. Turkey's economy should be prepared for the impact of this change. This process poses great risks, but also offers important opportunities."