European Convention

STATEMENT OF TURKISH PARLIAMENTARIANS: ''NO REFERENCE WAS MADE TO A SPECIFIC RELIGION AND CULTURE IN CONSTITUTIONAL DRAFT WITH THE SUPPORT OF EUROPEAN PARLIAMENTARIANS''

BRUSSELS - Ibrahim Ozal and Necdet Budak, who represented the Parliament in European Convention, said on Friday that they shared with the European parliamentarians the views on various issues like religion and culture, which they thought that could be objectionable for Turkey during the formation of the constitution, stating that no reference was made in the draft on a specific culture or religion.
Ozal and Budak made a joint statement to the press in Brussels after end of the Convention.
The statement said, ''we worked in consensus of opinion in general in preparation of the first constitution that would determine the future of enlarging European Union (EU). We shared with the European parliamentarians our views on various issues like religion and culture which we thought that could be objectionable for Turkey during the formation of the constitution. As a result of this, no reference was made to a specific religion or culture by the European parliamentarians. We also defended that Turkey at least should participate as observer during the Intergovernmental Conference where the draft of the constitution would be discussed. Our joint initiatives continue in studies after the Convention to accelerate EU process of our country.''
(AY-AÖ) 13.06.2003