ANKARA - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted a luncheon on Friday in honor of ambassadors of the European Union (EU) member countries.
Speaking at the dinner, Vittorio Claudio Surdo, the ambassador of current EU Term President Italy to Turkey, described the luncheon of Prime Minister Erdogan as a sign of importance of relations between Turkey and the EU.
Referring to quadruple suicide attacks in Istanbul last month in which 57 people were killed and 712 others were wounded, Surdo expressed his profound sorrow over loss of lives in the attacks, and thanked Turkey for taking all necessary security measures on time and for its co-operation.
Underlining importance of steps, which Turkey have taken in its EU full membership process since the Justice and Development Party has come to the political power, Surdo said that they had appreciated all these developments. Surdo added that there were still some steps to be taken by Turkey in the coming period.
Expressing their hopes over occurrence of positive developments both in democratization process and in the Cyprus question, Surdo said that although the Cyprus question was not a part of Copenhagen political criteria, it constituted a realistic part of Turkey-the EU relations.
Surdo pointed out that they had noted Prime Minister Erdogan's determination to resume Cyprus talks after upcoming elections in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) under the plan of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan.
Highlighting importance of Prime Minister Erdogan's realistic and far-sighted leadership, Surdo added that they would listen to Prime Minister Erdogan's messages at the luncheon and convey these messages to their governments prior to next week's EU Summit Meeting in Brussels.
Besides ambassadors of member and candidate countries to the EU, ruling AK Party deputy Yasar Yakis, Turkey's Secretary General for the EU Murat Sungar, Ministry of Foreign Affairs EU Department officials and Prime Minister Erdogan's advisors also partook in the luncheon.
ATTACKS IN ISTANBUL, TURKEY'S EU MEMBERSHIP PROCESS AND CYPRUS ISSUE DISCUSSED IN LUNCHEON HOSTED BY PRIME MINISTER ERDOGAN
Sources told the A.A correspondent that British Ambassador in Ankara Peter Westmacott replied to Erdogan who complained that ''they left Turkey alone after attacks in Istanbul''.
Westmacott said that they had to legally to issue travel warning advising against travelling to Turkey and stated that it was a routine implementation and a hostility against Turkey was out of question. Westmacott said that the positive side of those incidents was that there was increase in exchange of intelligence between intelligence institutions of the two countries.
Erdogan said that there was not any country which prevented terrorism hundred percent and stated that even countries like the United States and Britain could face with such attacks. Erdogan said that no one issued travel warning advising against travelling to the United States after September 11 attacks in the United States. Stating that 80 percent of reservations which were made in hotels in Turkey for new year was cancelled due to travel warnings, Erdogan said that the decision of UEFA on matches of Galatasaray and Besiktas soccer clubs was not a friendly decision, either. Erdogan said, ''sport is friendship and peace. If people lift this catalyst, terrorists will jump for joy.''
Erdogan recalled attack which was staged on olympic village during Munich Olympics and said that despite the attack, olympic games were not cancelled there. He added that they also expected a similar attitude toward Turkey.
Noting that Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi understood him well and expressed his solidarity, Erdogan said that Berlusconi and he had thought of going to Galatasaray match and giving a message of peace. He added that but they could not do it due to their heavy schedule.
After words of Erdogan, Italian Ambassador in Ankara Vittorio Claudio Surdo said that travel warnings did not much affect cancellation of reservations. Recalling that British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer came to Turkey for support, Surdo said that he was very impressed by media's and people's unique solidarity after attacks in Istanbul.
Erdogan informed ambassadors about their determinations on Turkey's EU membership process and stated that there were some shortcomings in bureaucracy field, stating that those would be overcome. Erdogan said that there was a full political will on EU membership and stated that there was not any weakness on the issue.
When ambassadors asked whether or not there was also a political will on Cyprus issue, Erdogan said that this problem would be solved by the two sides on the island and noted that Turkey and Greece were secondarily interested in the issue.
Erdogan said that the third sides' interference in the issue would make the issue more difficult and stated that he was disturbed with Cyprus issue's being brought in front of Turkey as if it was an obstacle. Stating that when this policy was pursued against Turkey, a similar thing was not made for membership of Greek Cypriot side. He added that he had difficulties in explaining this to the people.
Stating that political will which would appear after December 14 elections which would be held in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) should sit at the negotiation table, Erdogan said that policy of rejecting completely Annan's plan was wrong.
EU ambassadors said that they have watched with appreciation reforms Turkey fulfilled so far and stated that there should be more progresses in Turkey.
Surdo said that one of economy ministers before the AK Party government had said that they could reach Maastricht criteria in four or five years and asked whether or not he agreed with this view, Erdogan said that Turkish economy was sound and he believed that they could reach criteria in four or five years.
(EÖ-AÖ) 05.12.2003