IZMIT - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Wednesday that what Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said about Turkey-European Union (EU) relations was right and that Turkey had reached the stage of starting negotiations for a new phase in the EU membership process.
Replying to questions of reporters about words of Berlusconi who said that ''Turkey could become an EU full member in 2007'', Gul said, ''what the Italian prime minister said is right. We have reached the stage of starting negotiations for a new phase. Signs that we will start negotiations are evident. During the Copenhagen summit, it was decided that we would start negotiations at the end of 2004. We don't have much time.''
Emphasizing that there was a consensus in Turkey regarding the EU, Gul said, ''parties, people and the press support EU accession. Decisions to be taken in parliament will be taken. There are three packages that we have to pass before the parliament recess. Preparations for this package has been made by the Justice Ministry and the Secretariat General for the EU. Therefore, we will open a general debate regarding the EU in the parliament on May 22. We want everybody to know what is going on regarding our road to EU membership.''
Gul continued, ''all institutions of Turkey are acting together. After we pass these reform packages, we will have fulfilled an important part of the Copenhagen political criteria. I believe that we will start negotiations in 2004 after the progress report for 2003 is released in the best way. What is important for us is the election of the European Parliament in 2004. Commissions will change after this election. We want to do everything what is necessary and finish everything before such a change.''
''Turkey continues its path determinedly. And, Europe knows well about Turkey's determination. An action plan has been prepared regarding the issue and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will make a press statement and inform the public in coming days,'' Gul said.
Asked if there were issues regarding Copenhagen criteria with which Turkey had difficulties, Gul said, ''there is not any issue with which we have difficulties. We are not unfamiliar with Copenhagen political criteria. There is democracy and tolerance in Turkey's tradition. Different opinions co-exist. We experienced these principles throughout our history. We did not assimilate any minority since we tolerated different opinions. Countries that lived under the rule of the 400-year Ottoman Empire did not lose their identities after they became independent either.''
(BRC-AÖ) 14.05.2003