CHALKIDIKI - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said late on Friday, ''we are determined to adopt the seventh European Union (EU) adjustment package till the beginning of August. During the EU Thessaloniki Summit, we observed that heads of state and government of the EU countries are positive about Turkey.''
After partaking in the dinner hosted by President Kostis Stephanopoulos of Greece, Prime Minister Erdogan held a press conference.
He said, ''Prime Minister Costas Simitis of EU Term President Greece informed us on results of the Thessaloniki Summit. Turkey was invited to the intergovernmental conference to start in October. The EU countries have been following Turkey's preparations prior to the Thessaloniki Summit with a great astonishment. President Jacques Chirac of France, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of Italy and Prime Minister Simitis of Greece told us that they welcomed developments in Turkey. We observed that heads of state and government of the EU countries are positive about Turkey.''
Upon a question about the paragraph in the final statement of the summit about Turkey, Prime Minister Erdogan said, ''Turkey's EU membership process has two important titles _ adjustment and implementation. The EU countries wants Turkey to display the same efforts in implementation.''
When asked whether or not the Aegean dispute and the Cyprus question had been brought onto agenda during his meeting with Prime Minister Simitis, Prime Minister Erdogan said that the issues had not been taken up. He noted that the meeting had focused on the adjustment packages.
Responding a question about statement of Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal who said that a new adjustment package was not needed, Prime Minister Erdogan said, ''those, who support this process, will not support our government but Turkey's civilization project.''
When asked by a Greek journalist whether on not Turkey would give up its policy to consider 12-mile problem with Turkey a casus belli, Erdogan said that technical teams had been carrying out works on the issue.
''Political teams have not taken up the issue yet. I hope that all problems will be resolved within the EU,'' he said.
Replying a question about the Cyprus question, Prime Minister Erdogan said, ''steps taken by the Turkish side recently have softened the EU's approach towards Turkey.''
When asked whether or not they would face serious obstacles in front of implementation of adjustment packages, Prime Minister Erdogan said, ''I do not believe that we will face a serious obstacle. A significant part of Turkish people is ready for adjustment.''
When asked whether or not he could visit on Saturday the house where Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was born, Prime Minister Erdogan said, ''I discussed the issue Prime Minister Simitis of Greece. He told us that they would make necessary preparations for our visit.''
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, who is accompanying Prime Minister Erdogan, responded a question about ''Loizidou case'' saying, ''as you know, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has adopted a new law enabling Greek Cypriot people, who applied to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), to apply to courts in the TRNC. We did not pay any compensation in this case. If a compromise is reached on the system in question, payment will be in question.''
Gul added that he would meet with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan during the World Economic Forum meetings in Jordan.
(UK-MS) 21.06.2003