Turkish Prime Minister tells Reuters he wants IMF deal, to pursue Mideast peace

Clients following Turkey’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund over a loan agreement, expected to be around $25 billion, got exclusive material on Feb. 13 when Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said he wanted a deal with the Fund before municipal elections on March 29. Reuters was the only international news provider given access to Erdogan’s briefing, alongside the editors of two Turkish newspapers. Erdogan also talked about his plans to play an active role in the Middle East peace process despite renewed tensions with Israel over its Gaza offensive last month. The interview was widely broadcast in Turkish print and TV media and also published in international media, including CNN.