ANKARA - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Wednesday that their first priority was to provide Turkey's accession to the European Union (EU).
Evaluating one year of Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in rule, Gul said that Turkey was a hopeless and pessimistic country which was negative for future in November 2002, adding that many important events happened within one year in Turkey.
Noting that four of seven reform packages were adopted during AK Party period, Gul said that they made the most important reforms in the history of Republic on basic rights and freedoms.
Gul said that National Security Council (NSC) was like a second government in the past, adding that a new structure was brought to NSC with reforms and it has become a consultative board.
Gul said that AK Party gained success beyond Turkey and EU. He added that they showed all world that a country of which 99 percent of its population was Muslim could be modern, fulfill human rights standards of most developed countries and make its people taste democracy with the broadest shape. He said that furthermore, they showed that leaders, who attributed very much importance to conservatism, values of people and religion, could fulfill those issues.
Noting that Muslim countries were following Turkey in excitement and youth of Muslim world had a great sympathy towards AK Party, Gul said that all of these showed that Turkey could be an example to Muslim world only in AK Party ruling.
Upon a question regarding Progress Report of EU Commission, Gul said that the view that there were deficiencies in the practice of reforms was objective.
Noting that AK Party considered the practice of reforms as a duty, not as a concession, Gul said that there were still some practices which were not fulfilled, but those would be implemented in time, adding that nobody could stand against the determination of government.
Gul said that he thought that reference to Cyprus issue in Progress Report was wrong and he criticized it. He said that however it was a reality that it was impossible for him as a foreign minister not to take this into consideration. He added that solution of Cyprus issue would ease Turkey's EU process considerably.
Noting that they wanted to solve Cyprus issue even if there was not the EU and mutual steps should be taken for this, Gul said that if Greek Cypriot side did not answer back Turkish Cypriot side's steps for consensus and the problem was not solved, the World could not say anything to Turkey.
When asked whether Turkey would launch a new initiative for solution until May 2004, the date Greek Cypriot administration would be full member of EU, Gul said that if Greek Cypriot side entered EU in May, it would seem ''as if it was representing the whole Cyprus'' and it would be a negative development.
BENEFITS OF SENDING SOLDIERS TO IRAQ HAVE DECREASED AND DECIDE NOT TO SEND TURKISH SOLDIERS
Gul recalled that there was war in Iraq and said that Turkey got out of this situation without ''running into any trouble'' thanks to its experiences.
Noting that Turkey continued to be the most important country of the region, Gul said, ''Turkey did not enter into war or turmoil, but it made its influence be felt in whole region.''
Asked if the decision of the parliament not to send soldiers to Iraq would affect Turkish-U.S. relations, Gul said that relations with the United States were very good.
Gul noted that process which started in Turkey regarding Iraq developed as how the process developed in any democratic and developed country. ''This was achieved by AK Party. U.S. and European officials used to convince two or three people in Turkey in the past. And, those two or three people used to give instructions and things used to be done this way. Democracy was not functioning in those days. We didn't act so,'' Gul said.
Gul stated that the Iraq process in Turkey had a very positive impact on European Union (EU) and said, ''EU was shocked because they thought that we would listen to intrigues and views of everybody and use it as we wanted like former politicians.''
Noting that the United States was naturally very sad about Turkey's decision, Gul said that however they did not say anything.
Gul noted that U.S. President George Bush wrote him a letter and thanked him and therefore, there was not any anger.
Touching on the second motion on dispatch of Turkish soldiers abroad, Gul said that Turkey did not have any intention to occupy Iraq.
Gul stressed that Turkey wanted to help Iraqi people and later, Iraqi people did not want that assistance.
''We saw that risks started to increase in this process and at the same time, resistance and terrorist activities increased. We saw that benefits of sending soldiers of Iraq started to decrease. Then, we decided not to send Turkish soldiers to Iraq. We showed that we were not obstinate to use the authority given to the government to send soldiers abroad,'' Gul said.
Noting that ''the biggest country and super power the United States was embarrassed against Turkey that time,'' Gul said, ''but, we have shown that we are an ally.''

(BRC-AÖ) 03.12.2003