Turkey unveiled ambitious plans on Wednesday to push through privatisations in 2004 ranging from tobacco and sugar to telecoms and power companies, undaunted by failure to meet privatisation targets in past years.
In a sign of greater caution on sell-off prospects, however, Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan gave no target for 2004 privatisation revenues.
He said Ankara, which is seeking to accelerate a faltering IMF-backed sell-off programme, would complete work on a strategy to privatise the Tekel tobacco company in March and then announce a timetable for its sale.
An initial attempt to sell the tobacco firm last year failed as bids fell short of official expectations.
Ankara has pledged to advance privatisation under a $19 billion loan accord with the International Monetary Fund.
In a news conference to detail the sell-off programme for 2004, Unakitan also said there were plans to sell off the state power company Tedas and some affiliated firms this year.
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