Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – December 20, 1996

At eight in the morning, we went to the [Mehrabad] airport with Efat. After an interview with an official escort, we flew to Ankara. Mr. [Mohsen] Nurbakhsh, [CEO of the Central Bank], [Yahi] Al-Ishaq, [Minister of Commerce], [Ali Akbar] Velayati, [Minister of Foreign Affairs], [Gholamreza] Aghazadeh, [Minister of Oil], [Hasan] Rouhani, [Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council], Mohsen, Yaser, Ahmed, a group of MPs, and Eft, Fati, Faiza, Maryam, and Sara were there. We were in the flight for about three hours. On the way, all the time was spent in negotiations.

We landed at the airport at eleven o'clock in the morning Ankara time - twelve thirty in Tehran time. They gave a warm welcome by firing 21 cannonballs. Mr. [Suleiman] Demirel, [President of Türkiye] and his wife and a group of his ministers had come to welcome him. After saluting and saying "Hello soldier" and shaking hands with the future, we had a short talk with the reporters and left for Ankara.

On the way, which took about half an hour, I asked Mr. Demirel many questions about the situation in Türkiye and his trip to Europe and Central Asia. He said that Türkiye's budget of 48 billion dollars was approved yesterday and for the first time in recent years, it was without budget deduction. But he did not believe that it is without deficits and considers it to be formal! Because it has been decided to cover the 17 billion dollar deficit by selling government properties, which is unrealizable.

They have 70 billion dollars of foreign debt and the same amount of domestic debt. In addition, the foreign debts of banks and the private sector. There are 600,000 students, 500,000 teachers and 1.5 million government employees. They have a good residence. It is refreshing and luxurious. My family and I are there. The other companions, who are about 170 people, are in the hotel with guards, reporters, pilots and other crew members.

The accompanying ministers gathered. Mr. [Akbar] Turkan, [Minister of Roads and Transport] who is the head of the joint commission and has already come for negotiations, told the results of the negotiations and their demands. They demand a balance of buying and selling, which is not practical with the calculation of our oil. I was supposed to say, harmonize tariffs and free trade.

We ate lunch together with our companions. After a little rest, we left for negotiations at Mr. Demirel's headquarters. First, we had a private negotiation for about an hour; More about the cooperation and security of the region, such as Iraq, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Tajikistan and the cooperation of the two countries and the fight against terrorism including the P.K.K. [Kurdistan Workers' Party] which is their main problem.

Then, in public negotiations, with a group of their companions and ministers, Mr. Demirel and I, we had a detailed discussion about the political, security, cultural and even commercial fields of cooperation, emphasizing the gas, electricity and railway lines. Then we both spoke to reporters. A large number of photographers and reporters gathered and finally, on the map, it showed the Gap region, dams and plains.

We went to the headquarters. After Maghrib prayer, Mr. [Najmuddin] Arbakan Prime Minister came. We warmed up and talked to the reporters. Then we discussed possible collaborations. He is a bit of an idealist, or he is still raw and inexperienced, but he is well-intentioned and compassionate and Muslim. He does not know the exact figures.

Then came Ms. [Tanso] Chiller, the former prime minister and current minister of foreign affairs in the coalition government. He just returned from a trip to Russia. He described the results of his trip; Including the success in gaining the opinion of the Russians about Iraq and Azerbaijan, which I thought was a good idea. He also seems like a simple person.

We went for dinner. We shook hands with all the guests. After the lecture, Demirel and I had dinner; It was delicious. We came to the headquarters. I wrote the memories and watched some TV. They have dozens of channels. Chastity and children have plans for themselves.