Turkish minister says Tunisia needs reforms

ANKARA (A.A) - March 1, 2012 - Turkey's Development Minister Cevdet Yilmaz said on Thursday that Tunisia needed reforms. Yilmaz said Tunisians and the homeland was the resources for Tunisia, only if obstacles before Tunisia were lifted. "Tunisia has established a new parliament and government after a revolution, and now the country needs new reforms," Yilmaz said as he met Tunisian Minister of Regional Development and Planning Jamel-Eddine Gharbi in Ankara. "What we should do is to assist and support this young, dynamic and proud nation," Yilmaz said. Yilmaz said Turkey and Tunisia could share experiences in development, cooperate in an incentive system for local and international investors, exert efforts to reduce regional imbalance.  The minister said Tunisian minister's visit and debated issues would be a preparation for Turkish President Abdullah Gul's visit to Tunisia on March 7-9.  Moreover, Gharbi said he was visiting Turkey to sign partnership agreements and to cooperate, and noted that Tunisia considered Turkey a model. "Tunisia has made a revolution, and entered a democratic process and established a parliament," Gharbi said. Gharbi said what they should do now was to ensure economic and social development, and therefore his country was willing to make use of Turkey's experiences. Tunisian minister said he would brief Turkish executives on investment opportunities in his country.