ERDOGAN: ''MAKING DECISION ON STARTING TURKEY'S MEMBERSHIP NEGOTIATIONS WITH EU AT SUMMIT IN DECEMBER 2004 IS MAJOR TARGET OF TURKEY IN FOLLOWING PERIOD''

ANKARA - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that making decision on starting Turkey's full membership negotiations with the European Union (EU) at the summit in December 2004 was the major target of Turkey in the following period.
Erdogan and Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, who is currently in Ankara for a working visit, held a joint press conference after tete-a-tete and interdelegationary meetings.
Stating that he was very pleased to see Ahern in Turkey, Erdogan said, ''we have a historical moment currently since this visit is the first at the level of prime ministers between Turkey and Ireland.''
Erdogan said that he and Ahern exchanged views on bilateral relations, Turkey's EU process and regional issues including Iraq in the meetings.
Noting that both countries wanted to further increase trade volume between Turkey and Ireland, Erdogan said that he and Ahern also discussed cooperation in education and double taxation issues in the meetings.
Erdogan said that he and Ahern took up Cyprus issue and stated that Ireland had similar process so far, thus they decided to carry on talks regarding process.
He stated that it was very pleasing for Turkey and Ireland not to have any political or economic problem between the two countries.
''Ireland will undertake presidency of EU on January 1, 2004. Thus, Mr. Ahern is paying a visit to Ankara on a proper time. I expressed my expectation that support of Ireland to Turkey's membership process to the union will also continue in the following period and its term presidency of the union,'' he noted.
Erdogan said that taking of decision on starting Turkey's full membership negotiations with EU at the summit in December 2004 was the major target of Turkey in the following period and the government was determined to complete necessary amendments for fulfillment of Copenhagen political criteria till the end of 2003.
Erdogan said, ''developments which will provide implementation of reforms in an effective way will also be carried on in 2004. I informed Ahern about these issues.''
When asked whether or not U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's letter to Erdogan would be made public, Erdogan said, ''we are holding meeting with Ahern currently. We have a different agenda. It would be wrong to evaluate policy with the United States now. Foreign Ministry will make a necessary statement on the issue today or tomorrow.''
AHERN: IRELAND READY TO EXTEND EVERY KIND OF SUPPORT TO TURKEY IN ITS MEMBERSHIP PROCESS
Ahern thanked to Erdogan for his invitation and said that his visit to Ankara was within the scope of preliminary studies for term presidency of EU.
Stating that he had a ''constructive and good'' meeting with Erdogan, Ahern said that there were important opportunities for further development of relations between the two countries.
Ahern stressed that even if the two countries came to the EU from different places of Europe, he thought that common values of EU made closer Turkey and Ireland to each other.
Noting that everyone should exert many efforts to reach targets, he said that Ireland was ready to extend every kind of support to Turkey during its membership process. Ahern added that his country would show it especially during its term presidency.
Ahern said that he was watching closely efforts of Turkey at the level of adjustment to EU acquisition and stated that he congratulated the Turkish parliament on its efforts. Ahern added that he believed that Erdogan's determined attitude also had effect on those developments.
Irish PM Ahern said that they believed that a solution was possible on Cyprus issue and noted that they conveyed their view that a solution should be found within the scope of U.N. Secretary General's plan to Mr. Erdogan.
Stating that he was very pleased with Erdogan's sharing clearly his views concerning Iraq, Ahern said that he and Erdogan also took up bilateral relations and commercial issues between Turkey and Ireland in the meeting.
Upon a question on problems in front of Turkey's EU membership, Ahern said that fulfillment of Copenhagen criteria was a serious and long process for all candidates and recalled that Turkish parliament has passed around 900-page legal amendment documents so far. He added that they could only congratulate Turkey on its determination.

(EÖ-AÖ) 17.07.2003