ANKARA - Esref Unsal, the Chairman of Association of Turkish Businessmen in Europe (ATIAD), said on Tuesday that German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder noted that European Union (EU) full membership negotiations with Turkey would start in December 2004.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan received ATIAD Chairman Unsal and accompanying delegation.
Following the meeting, Unsal told reporters that Cyprus issue should not be an imposition and sine qua non condition before Turkey's EU integration.
Unsal said that German Chancellor Schroeder, with whom they held a meeting on the issue on Monday, supported them.
They stressed during their meeting with Schroeder that Cyprus ''was an issue that should be solved'', there were sides regarding the issue and the issue could be solved by a compromise and self-sacrifice of sides, Unsal noted.
Unsal said that Schroeder welcomed their views.
Noting that they discussed the same issue with Erdogan, Unsal said, ''we were pleased to see that the prime minister is of the same opinion.''
Unsal said that they also explained their views about the draft European Constitution during their meeting with Schroeder.
Europe was a community coming from Christian roots but when they said EU, it was not an organization only comprised of the Christians, Unsal stressed.
Unsal said, ''when Europe's Constitution is being written, of course there will be an expression that Europe is influenced by Christian culture. But, it will not mean that Europe will be community only comprised of Christians in the future.''
They also took up alphabet change, Unsal noted.
Unsal said, ''I said that I was not a German and asked Schroder if I wanted to be a German, what would we do with my name containing the word 'ş'.''
As ATIAD, they knew well the power of businessmen in Europe, Unsal pointed out.
Unsal said that the surveys showed that Turkish businessmen would be the locomotive in Europe in coming days.
''I think that we got a promise out of Schroeder that Turkey will be given a date in enlargement process in December 2004. Negotiations will start with Turkey in December 2004. It was said that schedule will be announced. We were pleased to hear this,'' Unsal said.
Businessman Kemal Sahin quoted Schroeder as saying that the progress report was not as bad as it was perceived in Turkey.
Sahin also quoted Schroeder as saying that progress recorded by Turkey on the road to EU membership was important and Turkey had made its homework.
''Schroeder believes that this government will implement reforms. He hopes that bargaining process will start for Turkey. He says that Turkey has approached EU,'' Sahin said.
Sahin noted that German economy supported Turkey's EU accession and pointed out that Schroeder wanted German businessmen to accompany him during his visit to Turkey due in February.
''Schroeder stressed that accession of an Islam country to EU was very important for world peace when the intercultural conflict was taken into consideration. I guess that we have engaged Germany very much regarding Turkey's EU accession. I hope we are on a road of no return,'' Sahin added.
Meanwhile, the delegation visited Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan and submitted a report on EU-Turkey relations, problems of Turks in Europe, and inflow of foreign capital.
(BRC-ÖŞ) 11.11.2003