29 January 2007
Speaking to reporters in Turkey this weekend, World Bank chief Paul Wolfowitz hailed Turkey's economic growth and described the country's transformation as an example for others to follow.
The President of the World Bank, Paul Wolfowitz, was in Turkey this past weekend for meetings with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and State Economy Minister Ali Babacan. They discussed Turkey's implementation of economic policy reforms and the future of the country.
In addition to praising the country's work with the World Bank, Wolfowitz voiced support for Turkey's accession to the European Union, stating that both the EU and Turkey would benefit from the country's inclusion in the community.
However, this was not the first time that Wolfowitz had met with Turkey's chief negotiator in the EU accession process, Minister Ali Babacan--at the 2006 Annual Meetings of the World Bank and IMF, Babacan and Wolfowitz signed an agreement that the 2009 Annual Meetings would be held in Turkey. As the third largest borrowing nation of the World Bank, Turkey's relationship with the organization remains an extremely important one. While Turkey continues its bid to join the community, some members of the EU remain staunchly opposed to its inclusion in light of the government's failure to support basic human rights and its documented oppression of minority populations.
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