TURKEY TO BE ONE OF WORLD'S TOP AUTOMOTIVE CENTERS, TURKISH INDUSTRY MINISTER

KOCAELI (A.A) - 11.06.2010 - The Turkish industry minister said on Friday that Turkey would become one of the world's top automotive manufacturing centers in near future.
Speaking at a ceremony at automobile manufacturer Hyundai Assan's factory in the northwestern province of Kocaeli, Turkish Industry Minister Nihat Ergun said Turkey's automotive production grew by 59.3 percent while its automotive exports increased by 58.6 percent during the first 4 months of 2010, compared to the same period of last year.
Ergun said Turkey's production, exports, employment and richness improved thanks to automotive investments.
Pointing to the importance the Turkish government attaches to foreign investments, Ergun said there was no difference between domestic and foreign capital.
"The important thing is such capital's producing added value for the country, carrying out exports and providing employment opportunities," he said.
Noting that Turkey has drawn nearly 83 billion USD of foreign investments in the last 7 years, Ergun said, "Turkey is moving rapidly towards becoming one of the most important automotive production centers in the world".
Ergun noted that the number of automobiles sold in Turkey had reached 144,000 in the first months of 2010 and the automobile sales in local market would exceed a million vehicles in near future.
Ergun also said that Turkey's export markets were not limited with Europe anymore, adding the country now exported goods and services to the farthest places of the world.