State Minister Sahin Meets With Italian European Union Policy Minister Buttiglione

ROME - State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin met on Monday with Italian European Union Policy Minister Rocco Buttiglione during a break of the meeting of ministers of member and candidate countries to the EU for public services in Italian capital Rome.
Buttiglione expressed his deep sorrow over terrorist attacks in Istanbul to Sahin in the meeting.
Stating that Italy supported Turkey's EU membership, Buttiglione said that Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi wanted his country to be the best friend of Turkey in Europe. Buttiglione said that Berlusconi showed a special interest in Turkey and added that he thought that Italy succeeded in being the best friend of Turkey in Europe.
Sahin said that they appreciated support of Italy during Turkey's EU process and stated that they knew special interest of Berlusconi in Turkey and Turkish people were also aware of it. He added that the government believed that bilateral relations between the two countries would further improve.
(EÖ-AY) 01.12.2003