VietNamNet Bridge – On the occasion of Turkey’s National Day today, Viet Nam News spoke to the country’s ambassador to Viet Nam, Ates Oktem.

Ambamssador Ates Oktem.

When your predecessor Yahya Akkurt finished his term here, he believed that bilateral trade turnover between Viet Nam and Turkey would reach US$1 billion in the coming years. Do you think it is possible? What characteristics do the two countries have that would help realise the target?

I agree with my predecessor and believe that bilateral trade could reach $1 billion in the near future.

The Agreement on Economic Commercial and Technical Co-operation which was signed between Turkey and Viet Nam on August 22, 1997 provides the necessary legal basis for furthering commercial relations.

Turkey’s trade relations with Viet Nam have been increasing steadily. Bilateral trade volume, although not reflecting the actual potential of both countries, looks promising for the years to come. The volume of trade between the two countries reached $244 million in 2007 and is expected to reach $400 million in 2008. If both sides utilise their existing potential, trade volume could easily reach $1 billion.

In this context, I am certain that the visit to Turkey by Viet Nam’s Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang for the fourth session of the Turkish-Vietnamese Joint Economic and Trade Committee in Ankara from November 4-5 will be a milestone in our economic and trade relations.

Can you brief our readers on your proposed health care project for mothers and children in Bac Ninh Province?

Turkey has allocated $200,000 to Viet Nam for the Mother and Child Health Improvement Project, which mainly covers supporting infrastructure for mother and child health centres in Bac Ninh Province.

The development project has been approved by the Turkish International Development and Co-operation Agency (TIKA) and the funds have been transmitted to our embassy. The Ministry of Planning and Investment of Viet Nam recently gave its approval for the project. Our embassy will set the details of the project with the People’s Committee of Bac Ninh Province.

The project will be carried out by our embassy in co-operation with the Reproductive Health Department of the Ministry of Health, the People’s Committee and Health Department of Bac Ninh Province.

What do you think about the possibility of opening a direct flight route between the two countries? How would such a route help to enhance bilateral ties?

Turkey, by way of its geographic disposition and close historical and cultural ties across a vast landscape, serves as a crucial bridge for dialogue and interaction between civilisations at the heart of Eurasia, and is an ideal bridge for Viet Nam to link with Europe, the Middle East and Caucasus.

In this context, transportation between Turkey and Viet Nam plays an important role to develop bilateral relations and the establishment of direct flights between our countries will contribute to the realisation of this goal.

Turkish Airlines presented to the General Directorate of Civil Aviation of Turkey its plan to start flights to some destinations in Viet Nam within the framework of a new project to add new destinations to its flight network. Turkish and Vietnamese authorities are trying to finalise a bilateral air services agreement between the government of Turkey and the Government of Viet Nam for scheduled air services between their territories and beyond, prepared by the General Directorate of Civil Aviation of Turkey, in order to facilitate these flights.

The signing of this agreement will pave the way for launching flights by Turkish Airlines to Viet Nam and it will give impetus to our relations, especially in the fields of tourism and trade.

It has been more than ten years since Turkey’s application to join the European Union was made. How has Turkey’s application for EU full membership progressed?

Turkey’s relations with the EU started on the basis of a partnership regime established by the Ankara Agreement which was signed with the then European Community on September 12, 1963. The agreement entered into force on December 1, 1964.

The Ankara Agreement foresees a gradual process for Turkey’s EU integration. As a first step, trade was liberalised and the Customs Union was completed on December 31, 1995.

A new period started after the four-decade long relationship between Turkey and the EU when Turkey was given ‘candidate status’ during the Helsinki Summit on December 10-11, 1999.

At the Copenhagen Summit, in December 2004, based on the Commission’s report and recommendations, it was decided to start accession negotiations with Turkey without delay, on the condition that Turkey fulfils the Copenhagen political criteria.

Comprehensive reforms have taken place in Turkey since her candidate status was registered at the 1999 Helsinki Summit. Important steps have been taken in areas of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Turkey’s legal system has been further strengthened with these reforms.

At the European Council in December 2004, the EU decided to open accession negotiations on October 3, 2005 in the framework of Paragraph 23 of the Presidency Conclusions. The accession negotiations are conducted over 33 chapters.

Full membership to the EU is a strategic objective for Turkey. The Government is committed to the reform process and determined to raise the living conditions of the Turkish people to the highest existing norms and standards.

(Source: Viet Nam News)