Turkey is bracing itself for gruelling EU membership talks.Metin Demirsar reports on the state of its economy and the steps that the government must take to meet the union’s requirements.

Turkey is seeking to draw more foreign investment with EU membership talks on the horizon and improved economic fundamentals.

A decade in the making, Turkey’s derivatives exchange aims to reduce risk in foreign currency, commodities and share trading. 

Turkey is pushing ahead with privatisation of its overstaffed, money-losing state enterprises in the run up to EU membership.

Turkey’s banking system recorded strong growth in 2004 but systematic weaknesses continue. The country’s 48 banks are having to learn to cope with a low inflation environment.

Turkey’s economy is surging ahead of tough membership negotiations with the EU, but debt problems persist. The Erdogan government has much work to do, reports Metin Demirsar from Istanbul.

Turkey is endeavouring to meet requirements for EU membership by extending its IMF standby agreement to combat spiralling debt while attempting to recoup money that was used to rehabilitate shaky private banks. Metin Demirsar reports from Istanbul.

The Turkish government is gearing up to dispatch troops to Iraq to assist in US-led peacekeeping operations and in the rebuilding of its south-eastern neighbour, in return for an $8.5bn soft US loan, despite protests from the Iraqis themselves and from Kurds living in the northern part of the country, writes Metin Demirsar.

As Turkey works towards qualifying for European Union membership, its privatisation programme is moving forward, with profitable state enterprises opening up to foreign investment.

Turkey’s new regulatory body began operations last month with sweeping powers to oversee the troubled banking sector.