Consultancy contracts jointly financed by the World Bank and Japan have been awarded for studies in key areas of privatisation (MEED 19:12:94).

McKinsey of the US has been awarded a contract to assist the privatisation administration with the development of strategies for denationalisation. A two-year contract for advice to the treasury on debt management and restructuring for the state economic enterprises (SEEs) has been awarded to the UK's Coopers & Lybrand, which will undertake the work through its local subsidiary, Coopers & Lybrand Danismanlik Hizmetleri.

The treasury has also retained Australia's Department of Employment, Education and Training for a one-year contract to advise on the preparation of a labour adjustment programme. The Geneva-based International Labour Organisation is also in the process of negotiating a contract to advise on social security reform, according to Istanbul sources.

The $100 million technical assistance loan from the World Bank was approved in May after being held up since March because of slow progress in structural reform (MEED 20:5:94). However, now the World Bank is considering a second technical assistance loan towards privatisation, according to Ankara sources.