BRUSSELS - Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said on Friday that he believed that the opposition party namely Republican People's Party (CHP) would also support the new reform package to be submitted to the parliament by the government.
Gul, who is in Brussels for the meeting of the European Convention, held a press conference after a working breakfast with European Union (EU) Commissioner for enlargement Guenter Verheugen, and representatives of participant and candidate countries.
Foreign Minister Gul said that there was a ''compromise'' in Turkey about the EU and that the ruling and opposition parties were acting together regarding EU membership.
Asked if there was a resistance against EU membership in Turkey, Gul said that there could be such resistance and added, ''but what is important is the determination of the government to become an EU member.''
Gul stated that there was only a short time like two or three months before Turkey.
''We want to mobilize all non-governmental organizations, intellectuals and media in Turkey. Turkey's 40-year state policy and target are EU membership. There can sometimes be several resistance and initiatives against it. There can be some deliberate moves. But, our government is determined. There can be rightful hesitations and interventions and there will always be such moves. Of course, we can't close our eyes and continue our road to membership that way. But, our aim is to prevent Turkey from missing this opportunity. The government and parliament are determined to fulfil this aim,'' Gul said.
Asked if there was a development regarding the lifting of the embargo imposed by the EU on Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Gul said that an atmosphere of confidence was now reached in the island.
Gul noted that 250 thousand Greek Cypriots went to the north and 80 thousand Turks passed to the south and ensured formation of a new atmosphere of confidence in the island.
''Not only daily passage has been achieved but also people started to stay in both of the sides. There is a reason for us to be hopeful about the island now. The EU should lift the embargo on Turkish side. And, we should lift the embargo on the Greek Cypriot side,'' Gul said.
Gul expressed his views about Greece and recalled that the Olympics would be held in the neighbor country in the following term.
Touching on the possibility of construction of sports facilities to be built in Greece by Turkish companies, Gul said that such mutual commercial and political relations would bring the two peoples closer to each other.
Gul left Brussels for Turkey after the press conference.
(BRC-AÖ) 16.05.2003