Correspondence from
World Bank Turkey Country Director Ajay Chhibber


For background information and updates on the letter-writing campaign see:
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/letter/tr0201.html

January 30, 2002

Dear Prof. Dagli,

With reference to your fax dated January 28, we would like to inform you that the World Bank is working hard with member countries to reduce tobacco use for health and economic reasons. However, the Bank very explicitly does not associate itself with youth programs initiated by international tobacco companies. This is also the policy of the UN and the World Health Organization.

Sincerely,
Ajay Chhibber



February 1, 2002
Email response received by Cornel Radu (Romania):

the world bank does not support international tobacco. it is not our policy. we are checking what exactly was said about us and by whom. We are often misrepresented. if we were to answer every time we are misrepresented we would spend all our time on it.

this is a serious issue and we are checking what precisely did the minister allegedly say about us. if we determine that we were misrepresented we will refute it publically.

regards, ajay chhibber