ANKARA - President Ahmet Necdet Sezer hosted a dinner in honor of Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio on Monday.
Sezer said that Turkish nation expected the decision on starting of EU membership negotiations to be taken by the end of 2004 at latest.
Recalling that Turkey had productive and proud cooperation with Portugal under the NATO alliance, Sezer said, ''we are getting prepared to also bring an EU dimension to this beneficial cooperation.''
Sezer said that he was very pleased with Portugal's supporting Turkey's membership.
''Enlargement of EU will form the biggest opportunity for reviving Europe dynamics,'' Sezer noted and said that they saw that Sampaio stressed in his speeches that enlargement of EU would cause an opportunity for development of a pluralist, democratic and open model of society.
''Turkish nation expects the decision on starting of EU membership negotiations by the end of 2004 at latest. Important steps have been taken in Turkey since Helsinki Summit. We will also continue this determination in putting into practice the reforms which have been fulfilled. I believe that Turkey's accession to the EU will further strengthen Europe which is living in peace and prosperity and where there are democracy and law principles. We appreciated the support and unbiased, foresighted attitude of countries like Portugal,'' he stated.
Sezer said that the two countries which played important roles in European history showed that nations which had different ethnic and religious identities could live peacefully and contributed to the development of joint values in Europe.
Sampaio said that Portugal's support to Turkey's accession to the EU was an important decision for development of bilateral relations and stated that Turkey's application for being a member of the EU in 1987 was a decision which was taken willingly. He added that this application was made again and again by Turkish governments during that period despite some difficulties.
Stating that approval of Turkey's candidacy to the EU in Helsinki was recognition of European character of Turkey, Sampaio said that this decision was also very important for the EU as much as Turkey.
Sampaio said that principles which required recognition of Turkey's application should not be subjected to a discrimination because of cultural or religious reasons and stated that those principles were criteria which were valid for candidacy of other countries.
Stating that the EU expected Turkey to fulfill legally all political criteria which were necessary for membership before the date when full membership negotiations would start was set, Sampaio said that Portugal appreciated Turkish officials' efforts for adjustment of national laws to the EU laws. He added that they believed that the same effort would be exerted for implementation of legal adjustments.
Sampaio said that being a member of EU brought some responsibilities including solidarity, unity, neighborhood and sharing of joint goals.
Stating that Turkey had a very important location with its relations with different cultures and societies, Sampaio said that Turkey was a model to its neighboring countries as it was a modern country.
Noting that geography where Turkey was located was not an easy one, Sampaio said that Iraq was an important and sensitive issue. He added that it affected directly Turkey.
(EÖ-AÖ) 16.09.2003