TRACECA project and its socio-economic effect on Turkey

03. Summary After breaking-down of the USSR, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) drew attention to European Union and other leading countries due to their rich natural resources, energy and agricultural products. These countries including EU have been developing strategic plans about the Region to carry out their goals. The economic structure of the CIS is to take close interest to EU and other developed countries. This region for EU means not only cheap raw materials and energy but also new markets to deliver its goods. Being a main part of international trade, investments of transportation constitute principal strategy of EU on the Region. In accordance with these strategies, the first steps for Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia (TRACECA) have been put in to practise. TRACECA connects EU across the Black Sea, through the Caucasus and the Caspian Sea to Central Asia. In this way, international trade between EU and Central Asia-Caucasus would be performed fastly, easly, and safetly. In this study, being a very important project for Turkey, TRACECA is analyzed. International trade and transportation of Turkey is taken place in the first chapter. Commercial and economic analyses of TRACECA region and its relationship with EU and Turkey in the second chapter. Historical background, project investment, and the effect of TRACECA on Turkey are given in the chapter three. It is considered that TRACECA Project will have been put into practice completely by 2010. Turkey has to take all the necessary steps to get maximum benefits from TRACECA. For this reason; the relationships between Turkey and Region must be strenghened and for such relationships all the necessary support must be given. XI