SIVAS - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Thursday that Turkey fulfilled EU political criteria on paper, adding that the thing that mattered the most was their application.
Responding to questions of journalists in Sivas where the cabinet meeting was held the same day, Gul said that the issue of Turkey's accession to EU was not only economic.
''It is to reach better living standards, to reach democratic standards,'' said Gul. Noting that Europeans still thought that they would face a big migration flow from Turkey when the latter is admitted to EU and they were afraid of it, Gul said that ''we tell them that this is not the case. We issue statements to overcome their worry. The thing that matters is to start the negotiations. When negotiation starts, the period of the negotiations depends on the position of that candidate state.''
Gul pointed out that negotiation process of powerful countries also lasted long, giving as an example Spain whose negotiation with EU lasted for eight years. European countries would no longer feel worried once the negotiation process started, Gul said.
''Dou you have some impression about the EU Progress Report which will be published in October?'' asked a journalist to Gul, who said that ''when you look at the statements of most conservative countries of Europe and leaders of countries who are conservative towards Turkey, you see that they are very encouraging. The statements of Germany, Austria and Luxembourg Prime Minister are in the same parallel. Reform packages had good repercussions abroad. On paper we've fulfilled EU political criteria. I can say that now. Honestly I could not say it before the adoption of the last two packages. Now the implementation of these criteria is very important. The parliament did its best. Now the government has a role to play and the cabinet strictly monitors the issue.''
When asked how EU countries regarded sending soldiers to Iraq, Gul said that the issue came to agenda during the bilateral talks. This issue was also taken up during meetings with non-EU countries, he said. ''We don't ignore the EU perspective, and we share our views with EU as a candidate country. We take our decision also by consulting the Iraqi issue with EU countries. Yet certainly Turkey will give its decision itself,'' Gul said.
''Is there any clarification about the Iraqi issue?'' asked journalists to Gul who said that ''no, the assessment continues.''
''Do you think Pandora's box opened in Iraq? You earlier told that it could be the case'' asked a journalist to Gul who said that ''I told it before the war. I had said that Iraq was a small Middle East, and that Turks, Kurds, Arabs, Shiis and Sunnis were the reality of Iraq. The reality today is that stability should be ensured in Iraq as soon as possible and that a structure should be formed by elected administrators. This is what the U.N. says, too and it is the target of the Iraqi interim council.''
When asked how he evaluated the statements of Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, Gul said that ''the stability of Iraq is important for Iraqis more than us. Certainly there will be invitations from Iraqi Council, government to Turkey. Foreign Minister or others should not talk without thinking and cause problem saying 'Iraqis don't want Turks.' They should think well. If they need stability there, they should invite the countries which will contribute to that. The invitation of the Iraqi council is important for us. Everybody knows that. The U.S. also knows that. We talked about these issues.''
''Zebari is relative of IKDP leader Barzani. Can there be the influence of Barzani in Zebari's statement?'' asked journalists to Gul who said that ''Zebari is not only the foreign minister of Kurds, but of Iraq. He should talk as the foreign minister of Iraq. Ministers there are not the representatives of their own regions, ethnic structures, they are representatives of whole Iraq. We regard them so. They should talk by feeling that responsibility, because tomorrow they can be in the position of saying the contrary. Certainly we should understand them, too, they need time. Everybody needs experience.''
Upon a question about Prime Minister Erdogan's visit to Iran, Gul said that ''contacts to be held and then a date can be fixed. There is no fixed date for the moment.''
(Öª) 04.09.2003