Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: 6 Turkish nations seek common future Date: Sat, 31 Oct 92 14:00:15 EST Message-ID: \SE A;WORLD \SS (WS) \HD 6 Turkish nations seek common future \BY REUTERS \DT ANKARA, Turkey ANKARA, Turkey (Reuters) - Turkey, cementing ties with its ethnic, linguistic and religious cousins in the former Soviet Union, opened a six-nation summit yesterday by urging that they work together to "make the 21st century that of the Turks." President Turgut Ozal told the presidents of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan that their common heritage should serve as the foundation for a model of regional cooperation. "We come from the same roots. We are the branches of the same great tree and are of the same family," the Turkish leader said in launching the two-day summit, these nations' first since the breakup of the Soviet Union. "Our peoples have expectations of the Ankara summit," he said. "We cannot disappoint them. You cannot return empty-handed. If we can evaluate this historic opportunity and avoid errors, we can make the 21st century that of the Turks." Ankara called the summit during Turkish Prime Minister Suleyman Demirel's April tour of the five former Soviet republics; all but Kazakhstan have predominantly Muslim populations. Turkey, eager to serve as a role model of a Muslim but secular democracy with a free-market economy, has pledged to help them integrate with the West. Turkey, the easternmost member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, has the support of its Western allies in assisting the new nations. Iran and Pakistan are among others competing for influence in the region. Mr. Ozal proposed the lifting of customs barriers among the six nations to allow free circulation of people, goods and capital and the formation of a regional investment and development bank. He suggested pipelines be built to carry Azeri, Kazakh, Turkmen and Uzbek oil and natural gas to Turkey's Mediterranean coast for shipment to Europe. Mr. Ozal promised to utilize Turkey's knowledge and experience in helping them switch to a free-market economy, but he warned his guests of the difficulties of such a transformation after decades of state control. Turkey has pledged $1.2 billion in loans and guarantees to its neighbors and set aside scholarships for 10,000 of their students. It is beaming satellite television broadcasts in Turkish to the region and is training bankers and diplomats. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM