KAYSERI - Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said on Sunday that following six months on the road to European Union (EU) was a critical process.
Gul, who met with administrators of economy services of some newspapers in central Kayseri province on Saturday, made evaluations about EU membership, Cyprus issue and economic developments.
Foreign Minister Gul stated that Turkey's duty on road to EU membership was to fulfil its obligations and not to have any deficiencies which might be shown by the EU as an obstacle before Turkey's membership.
Gul said that Turkey would not lose if EU made a mistake and refused Turkey's membership.
They would continue on its path whether or not EU membership was in question, Gul noted.
Pointing out that there was a very critical process before Turkey on the road to EU, Gul noted that the critical process could be divided into two as ''till May 1, 2004'' and ''from May 2004 to December 2004.''
Gul recalled that Turkey-EU relations was a 50-year process and went on saying, ''we have reached a turning point. It is the most critical turning point and process. Turkey should make good use of it. Of course, we should do everything that other candidate countries have done. These are Copenhagen political criteria. All these criteria should be fulfilled without any deficiencies. It is very clear. Every country has fulfilled them.''
''There are not any countries which start negotiations before fulfilling these criteria. Turkey has recorded significant progress in this issue. We are a little bit late in practice but very important developments will occur in following few months. Some regulations should be passed for implementation of laws like National Security Council regulation, Accounting Bureau regulation, regulation on Supreme Board of Radio and Television, regulation on National Education Ministry. These will be passed within a month,'' Gul said.
Gul continued, ''of course, there may be many things to do but the government is very determined. I believe that we will record 100 percent success since this is our priority. You know there is a Reform Monitoring Committee under my chairmanship. I meet with them, Justice and Interior Ministers. When we consider the progress report in this regard, I can say that the progress report is good and objective leaving aside some mistakes and deficiencies.''
''The report uses very strong sentences to express Turkey's performances, initiatives and progress. Deficiencies are very obvious. We aren't embarrassed to say and hear our deficiencies. We know our deficiencies and we will overcome them,'' Gul said.
Asked if he had a feeling about every EU report that EU would not accept Turkey, Gul said, ''I don't think so. Then, are we joking? Are all civilian and official institutions are playing a game? If so, then the situation is very dangerous. It means that we are all lying to each other.''
Gul went on saying, ''there are many views in EU. It is a pluralist world and there are leaders saying no to Turkey's EU accession but there are also people saying yes. I think people saying yes are in majority. This doesn't mean that Turkey will 100 percent become EU member. But, we have walked this path for 50 years and there is a six months of critical process in front of us.''
''Our duty on road to EU membership is to fulfil its obligations and not to have any deficiencies which may be shown by the EU as an obstacle before Turkey's membership. Turkey will not lose if EU makes a mistake and refuses Turkey's membership,'' Gul said.
Gul noted that the biggest difference between their government and former governments was that they backed that they should fulfil obligations but the former governments considered them a concession.
Asked how EU could change its view about Turkey's membership, Gul said, ''if EU says no after Turkey fulfils its obligations and meets political criteria, assumes a compromising, appropriate and acceptable attitude towards Cyprus issue but a solution can't be found despite this, EU will harm itself. There is no doubt that EU will also be tested. EU's credibility and power will be very harmed.''
Gul said that Turkey met EU criteria on paper and aware of deficiencies and delays in practice.
Deficiencies would be overcome within a few months, Gul stated.
Asked about economic criteria, Gul recalled that Maastricht criteria would be taken into consideration in negotiation process and added that Turkey was one of the candidate countries which was conducting free market economy in the best way.
(BRC-AY) 16.11.2003