European Parliament Member Ceyhun Says Conditions Suitable For A Negotiation Date For Turkey

IZMIR - Ozan Ceyhun, a member of the European Parliament (EP), said on Tuesday that conditions were suitable for a negotiation date for Turkey.
After attending the meeting on Turkey, Germany, and the future of European Union (EU) held in western Izmir province by German Foreign Ministry and German Embassy in Ankara, Ceyhun told reporters that Turkey had the chance to be given a negotiation date at the end of 2004 in case it put into practice legal changes and promoted itself in Europe.
Ceyhun said that negotiations should be started after being given a date without thinking what the result would be.
''Firstly, negotiations should start. We should later discuss whether or not a special status will be given,'' Ceyhun noted.
Ceyhun guessed that negotiations could be opened in May 2005.
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder ''extended big support'' to Turkey's EU membership despite the public opinion, Ceyhun added.
(BRC) 14.10.2003