Kilci: We got extraordinary prestige

Metin Kilci, the President of the Privatization Board said that the international capital and investors were now looking very positively to Turkey and "The credibility of Turkey has improved extraordinarily. This will certainly reflect on privatization."Speaking at CNNTURK Channel, Kilci said that 2004 has been a very good year ford privatization, with a total privatizing volume of 2 billion 41 million dollars, leaving 1 billion 369 million dollars as cash. Kilci said that confidence in the Turkish economy boosted in 2004 and the EU process which Turkey entered made another positive impact. MONOPOLIES He said that offers about State monopolies (Tekel) will be received on February 18 and they were discussing with a number of companies on the issue. "We shall have a very positive result there" he said. ERDEMIR He said that Erdemir Iron and Steel plans was a high-profit , good company and was attracting investors. However he said that there was no concrete decision about its tender. 13 APPLICATIONS ON TELEKOM Kilci said that in the tender for the sale of 55 % of Turk Telekom, 13 companies had passed the preliminary phase and these included; Belgacom SA de Droit PublicDoÄŸan Åžirketler Grubu HoldingEmirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat)-Cetel Çalık Enerji Sanayi and Ticaret Inc.- Dubai Ä°slamic Bank ConsortiumKoç Holding A.Åž.-Hacı Ömer Sabancı Inc ConsortiumMapa Ä°nÅŸaat ve Ticaret IncMulti Global Link Sdn. Bhd.Army Support Chest (OYAK)Saudi Oger Ltd.SK Telecom Co. Ltd.Telecom Italia Internatıonal N.VTelefonica S.ATurkish Privatization Investors S.ar.ITurktell Bilisim Group Â