SELCUK - Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker of Luxembourg said on Sunday that allegation which said that northern European countries did not want Turkey to be a member of the European Union (EU) was not true.
Juncker and an accompanying delegation visited Ancient Ephesus Site and House of Mother Mary in Selcuk town of northern Izmir province.
Replying to questions of reporters, Juncker said that he came to Izmir to visit Ephesus and the region and stated that his visit was very good.
When asked how he evaluated Turkey's EU process, Juncker said that according to decisions which were taken at Helsinki and Copenhagen summits, a decision would be taken on Turkey in 2004.
When a reporter said that Mediterranean countries wanted Turkey to be a member of EU, but some central and northern European countries including also Luxembourg did not want Turkey's EU membership and asked whether it was true, Juncker said that it was not true and stated that it was not true that there was such a thing between Mediterranean countries and northern European countries. He added that people should not believe in such things.
Touching on commercial relations between Turkey and Luxembourg, Juncker said that trade volume between the two countries was not sufficient, but it would be better in the coming years.
(EÖ-AÖ) 09.06.2003