ROME - Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said on Wednesday that Italy supported earnestly Turkey's accession to the European Union (EU).
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that Turkey should make good use of the period till 2004.
Gul and Frattini held a joint press conference after their meeting.
Gul and Frattini discussed Turkey's EU membership process, Turkish-Italian relations, illegal migration and Iraq in the meeting.
Stating that they appreciated changes which were made in Turkey especially with the last reform package, Frattini said that Italy also attributed great importance to setting a negotiation date for Turkey at the end of 2004. Frattini said that they were also taking pains to help Turkey start negotiations.
Frattini said that the Progress Report on Turkey which would be announced on November 5 would be positive.
Stating that Turkish government exerted great efforts for adjustment to the EU and the results of it were seen, Frattini quoted Gul as saying that they were also determined to take more advanced steps.
Gul said, ''very important steps were taken especially during the period of the current government. There is a very different Turkey this year when compared to last year. We are very pleased with Europe's appreciation on reforms which were fulfilled in Turkey. We should make good use of the period till 2004.''
Frattini said that fight against illegal migration was also discussed in his meeting with Gul and quoted Gul as saying that Turkey was in favor of more cooperation in fight against illegal migration not only with Italy, but also with whole Europe.
Recalling that EU determined a joint strategy in Thessaloniki on fight against illegal migration and measures against transit countries, Frattini said that they should also include Turkey in this strategy.
Frattini said that they agreed with Turkey on the issue that a solution should be found in Iraq by international society under the control of the United Nations.
Gul said that the meeting was beneficial on Iraq issue.
Both ministers explained their views on Europe's Christian roots. Italy demands clear reference to ''Christian roots'' in the introduction of the European Union's Constitution.
Frattini said that this issue was related to the history of Europe and stated that it was wrong to comment it as an effort to prevent accession of Turkey to the Union.
Gul said that Europe attributed great importance to the freedom of religion and added that what was important was secularism.
FREEDOM OF RELIGION IS AN INDISPENSABLE PRINCIPLE FOR EU
Frattini said that a reference to Christian roots in the introduction of the European Union's Constitution would not be an obstacle in front of Turkey's accession to the EU and added that he hoped that this initiative of Italy would not disturb Turkey.
Stating that they appreciated and supported Turkey's European Union ambitions, Frattini said that this dispute was about the history of Europe.
Frattini said that reference to Christian roots was an issue in regard to the histories of European peoples and stated that reference to Christian roots was not a contradiction with respect to secularism principle and the enlargement process of EU.
Stating that Turkey was a secular country although most of Turkish people were Muslim, Frattini said that Turkey was a secular country like Italy, Germany and France. Frattini said that when they demanded a reference to Christian roots in the introduction of the EU Constitution, they did not mean anything concerning current situation of European countries or their formations in the future. Frattini said that secularism was a basis on this issue. He added that they meant a period in the past when Turkey had not been in Europe.
Frattini said that he thought that Turkey, which would be a European country soon by starting negotiations at the end of 2004, would not have any uneasiness on this issue and added that those who considered such a reference as an obstacle were wrong.
Gul said that what was important was that everybody should benefit from freedom of religion with EU's protecting its secular structure.
Gul said, ''when you look at the history of Europe, you see footprints and traces of three big religions. When you look at current Europe, you see that people from different religions live together. What is important is that there is a freedom of religion in the EU.'' He stressed that as long as secular structure was protected, there would not be any problem.
''As my Italian counterpart said, EU should be in a secular structure,'' Gul said and noted, ''freedom of religion is a principle that EU cannot give up. People should live freedom of religion no matter what their religions are. To this end, we don't see any problem.''
IMPORTANT CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS WERE MADE IN TURKEY. WE DEAL WITH PUTTING THEM INTO PRACTICE NOW
Gul said ''important constitutional amendments have been made in Turkey. We deal with putting them into practice now.''
Frattini said that the Progress Report on Turkey which would be announced on November 5 would include good messages for Turkey and stated that they hoped that Turkey could start membership negotiations at the end of 2004.
Gul said that Italy supported earnestly Turkey on EU and stated that Turkey would make good use of the period till the end of 2004.
Stating that Frattini and he discussed especially Turkey's EU membership process, Gul recalled that it was decided in the Copenhagen Summit in 2002 that EU would start negotiations with Turkey at the end of 2004. Gul said that the government did its utmost on the issue and it was determined to do so.
Gul said that progress reports were important with respect to fulfillment of political criteria in candidate countries and noted, ''important constitutional amendments have been made in Turkey. We deal with putting them into practice now.''
Gul said, ''we are determined to make good use of nearly one year period till the end of 2004. We believe that important developments will take place and important steps will be taken during Italy's presidency period.''
Frattini said that Italy earnestly supported Turkey's EU membership and stated that they also supported starting of membership negotiations with Turkey at the end of 2004.
Frattini said that they were also taking pains to help Turkey start negotiations and stated that concrete steps which were taken by Turkey were obvious. He quoted Gul as saying that they were determined to take more advanced steps and added that Turkey continued to move forward in the direction of Copenhagen criteria with its reforms.
ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER FRATTINI PRAISES EFFORTS OF TURKEY FOR FIGHT AGAINST ILLEGAL MIGRATION
Frattini said that they were in favor of inclusion of Turkey in the strategy which was determined by the EU countries for fight against illegal migration.
Frattini said that Turkey was in favor of cooperation in that issue not only with Italy but also with whole Europe.
Recalling that EU determined a joint strategy in Thessaloniki on fight against illegal migration and measures for transit countries, Frattini said that they should also include Turkey in this strategy.
Frattini said that Gul and he also exchanged views on this issue.
Gul said that measures which Turkey took to prevent illegal migration were effective.
Gul said that decrease in the number of migrants who passed illegally via Turkey to Italy was a product of measures which were taken by Turkish officials.
He added that he explained what kind of measures Turkey took on this issue to Frattini.
(EÖ-AÖ) 01.10.2003