ANKARA - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan left for Italy on Friday to attend the summit of Heads of State and Government of the European Union for the opening of the Intergovernmental Conference.
Erdogan held a press conference prior to his departure at Ankara's Esenboga Airport.
Erdogan said that Draft Constitutional Treaty would be taken up in the summit and he added that Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul would attend foreign ministers meeting to be held within the summit.
Erdogan said that Turkey had been participating in the activities of general assembly for future of EU since February 28, 2002 together with other candidate countries on equal status.
Erdogan said, ''both the government and our parliamentary representatives have important contributions to the activities of general assembly. It is possible to say that Draft Constitutional Treaty which was prepared with the activities of the assembly generally reflects our views.''
Noting that during Thessaloniki Summit, Turkey was invited to the conference, which would conclude Draft Constitutional Treaty, on equal status with other candidate countries, Erdogan said that Turkey would have active and constructive contribution to the activities of conference on political level.
Erdogan said, ''we will discuss the issues on which a consensus could not be reached in general assembly and other issues that can be brought onto agenda in the conference. Draft Constitutional Treaty is reflecting an important consensus with its general features, thus we do not think it will be beneficial to open the whole draft to discussion again. Turkey's participation in the historical process, in which EU's future heritage is shaped, and its constructive contribution to this process will speed up our country's accession process to EU.''
When asked whether there would be an authority motion or permission motion in the issue of sending soldiers to Iraq, Erdogan said that those were all technical issues and they were discussing them. He added that they would take a decision after completing their negotiations in the council of ministers.
Erdogan, who will attend the luncheon held in honor of heads of state and government by Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, then will hold bilateral meetings with some leaders.
Erdogan is expected to return to Turkey late on Saturday.
(GC-A?) 03.10.2003