Erdogan: Our Thesis About Cyprus Is A Fair And Lasting Solution

DENIZLI - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday, ''our thesis about Cyprus is a fair and lasting solution. We cannot take a step back.''
Prime Minister Erdogan met with businessmen in western province of Denizli.
Responding questions of journalists about the European Union (EU) Commission's 2003 Regular Progress Report for Turkey following the meeting, Prime Minister Erdogan said, ''our efforts towards fulfilling Copenhagen political criteria has always been appreciated. The Progress Report of the EU Commission also included expressions of appreciation.''
''We have achieved a significant success in our adjustment efforts. Now, we will maintain our efforts to implement these reforms with the same determination and seriousness both till the end of 2003 and in 2004. I believe that all these political consultations between Turkey and the EU will yield positive results in December of 2004,'' he emphasized.
Indicating that the Cyprus question was not included in the Copenhagen political criteria, Prime Minister Erdogan told reporters, ''our thesis about Cyprus is a fair and lasting solution. We cannot take a step back. Our views about the Cyprus question are already known by the member countries to the EU.''
Meanwhile, upon a question about education in mother tongue, Prime Minister Erdogan said, ''if the issue is included in the adjustment laws, we will take a step about it.''
(UK) 05.11.2003