ISTANBUL - Foreign Minister George Papandreou of Greece said on Monday that eastern and central Europe was uniting with western Europe, adding that this enlargement should include Turkey.
Speaking at a conference on ''Turkey and Greece: Leaving the Past Behind, Looking at Future'' held at Istanbul's Bilgi University in order to strengthen academic and cultural ties between Turkey and Greece, Papandreou said that a new era had begun the cold war in which new kinds of problems had emerged besides new opportunities.
Stressing that they had to combat against these difficult problems, Papandreou said that one of them was Kosovo crisis in the Balkans and developments stemming from globalization. He noted that they worked together with Turkey to resolve these two issues.
Papandreou said that trade and tourism between Turkey and Greece had increased threefold as a result of improving relations.
Noting that former Foreign Minister Ismail Cem and he had succeeded in taking up daily and technical issues between the two countries, Papandreou said that 15 agreements were signed between Turkey and Greece as a result of these developments.
Referring to quake disasters both in Turkey and Greece, Papandreou described them as ''a bitter opportunity''.
Touching on Turkey's European Union (EU) membership process, Papandreou said that Greece was first hesitant about Turkey's candidacy due to its problems with Turkey, but changed its decision later.
Noting that the fundamental thing was to provide transformation of the whole region and to form a society of values, Papandreou said that being a society of values, living together and resolving problems through peaceful methods would be beneficial for both countries.
Noting that 10 new countries would join the EU, Papandreou said that eastern and central Europe was uniting with western Europe, and this enlargement should include Turkey.
He said that a decision would be taken in 2004 whether to open accession talks with Turkey.
Papandreou noted that if they would grant Turkey candidacy, it should be a real candidacy, adding that they should give a real opportunity to Turkey.
He said that they should give Turkey the opportunity of becoming a member of the EU.
Stressing that it was not an easy process, Papandreou said that transformation and reform meant taking bitter decisions by the government and the people.
He said that Turkey should become a member of the EU after fulfilling Copenhagen criteria.
Papandreou added that they could resolve our historical problems during this process and set up permanent relations with Turkey.
(UK-AÖ) 14.07.2003