UPDATE - Turkey to announce space program in 2020

UPDATE WITH MORE REMARKS OF TECHNOLOGY MINS.

By Goksel Yildirim and Dilara Zengin

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey will announce its National Space Program in 2020, the country's technology minister said Tuesday.

Speaking at the Turkish parliament's planning and budget committee, Mustafa Varank said: "Countries that do not make it to space, will not have a say on earth in the future."

Last December, a presidential decree announced the establishment of the country's space agency.

"Although newly established, Turkey's Space Agency draws attention of many countries," Varank said, noting cooperation agreements were signed with Ukraine and Hungary.

- Milestones in defense, trade

The minister said that Turkey will establish the Polar Research Institute under The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, adding it will continue to manage projects related to Antarctica.

He went on to say that Turkey's Automobile Initiative Group (TOGG) will premiere its vehicles in December.

In June 2018, five Turkish industry giants; Anadolu Group, BMC, Kok Group, Turkcell and Zorlu Holding and an umbrella organization, The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey joined hands to create an indigenous car.

Speaking of progress in the defense sector, he said: "Our defense firms received domestic and international orders of nearly 7 billion Turkish liras ($1.2 billion) in the last five years."

He said nine products developed locally had entered the Turkish Air Force.

Also, Turkish scientists and engineers are developing two air-to-air missiles.

Varank said they were focusing on railways as part of a national development plan.

"Our domestic companies are now exporting railway carriages to the EU and Far East countries," he said.

*Writing by Aysu Bicer