BURSA (A.A) - Turkish Ziraat Bankasi opened its first VTM(Video Teller Machine) which is also described as"unmanned banking"branch inthe northwestern province of Bursa.The bank's Director General Can Akin Caglar said on Tuesday that the"unmanned banking"branch was opened in Setbasi district of Bursa, and it was aninnovation in Turkish banking history as well as economy.Opening a branch in each part of Turkey necessitated a long time and highcost, Caglar said and added that Ziraat Bankasi would be able to serve in everypart of Turkey thanks to that new system.Caglar said that the system provided every type of banking transaction whichcould be made in an ordinary branch.Caglar said that Ziraat Bankasi had used this system during IMF and WorldBank meetings in Istanbul. He added that they briefed many officials from foreignbanks about this new system. Caglar also said that foreign banks sent delegationsto Ziraat Bankasi to learn how the system was innovated and functioned.He said that the bank would work to spread the system to Turkey in the nextperiod.Caglar also said that Ziraat Bankasi would declare its profit in 2009 onThursday.The basis of Ziraat Bankasi was formed in 1863 during Ottoman Empire period,and Ziraat Bankasi Head Office began to function in 1888.Currently, Ziraat Bankasi has 1,280 offices in Turkey and 64 offices in 17countries, and it employs 21,347 personnel.Ziraat Bankasi declared a consolidated net profit of 2.6 million Turkishlira in the first nine months of 2009. The profit increased 63 percent comparedto the same period of 2008. (1 USD = 1.542 TL)(GC-MS)