of Labor or Turk-Is [Bayram MERAL];
Turkish Union of Chambers of Commerce and Commodity Exchanges or
TOBB [Fuat MIRAS]

International organization participation: AsDB, Australia Group,
BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CERN (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, EU
(applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol,
IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,
OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM,
UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTAET, UPU, WEU (associate), WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Baki ILKIN

chancery: 2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 612-6700

FAX: [1] (202) 612-6744

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Robert PEARSON

embassy: Ataturk Bulvarii 110, Ankara

mailing address: PSC 93, Box 5000, APO AE 09823

telephone: [90] (312) 468-6110

FAX: [90] (312) 467-0019

consulate(s) general: Istanbul (closed as of December 2000 for
security review)

consulate(s): Adana (closed as of December 2000 for security review)

Flag description: red with a vertical white crescent (the closed
portion is toward the hoist side) and white five-pointed star
centered just outside the crescent opening

Turkey Economy

Economy - overview: Turkey's dynamic economy is a complex mix of
modern industry and commerce along with traditional agriculture that
still accounts for nearly 40% of employment. It has a strong and
rapidly growing private sector, yet the state still plays a major
role in basic industry, banking, transport, and communication. The
most important industry - and largest exporter - is textiles and
clothing, which is almost entirely in private hands. In recent years
the economic situation has been marked by erratic economic growth
and serious imbalances. Real GNP growth has exceeded 6% in most
years, but this strong expansion was interrupted by sharp declines
in output in 1994 and 1999. Meanwhile the public sector fiscal
deficit has regularly exceeded 10% of GDP - due in large part to the
huge burden of interest payments, which now account for more than
40% of central government spending - while inflation has remained in
the high double digit range. Perhaps beca