ANKARA - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan left for Brussels on Thursday to attend Intergovernmental Conference that will be held within the scope of the European Union (EU) heads of states and governments summit.
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, Parliamentary EU Adjustment Commission Chairman Yasar Yakis, Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputy leader Saban Disli, Foreign Affairs Advisor and Istanbul deputy Egemen Bagis and Adana deputy Omer Celik also departed for Brussels with Erdogan.
ERDOGAN: OUR MAIN TARGET IS TO MAKE EU TAKE THE DECISION OF STARTING FULL MEMBERSHIP NEGOTIATIONS WITH US IN DEC. 2004
Speaking before his departure, Erdogan said that he was leaving for Brussels to attend the sessions of the Intergovernmental Conference that would convene at the same time with EU summit and that Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul accompanied him.
Noting that the process that advanced to gathering of the Intergovernmental Conference started with the efforts of the Union to adjust itself to new conditions formed by enlargement, Erdogan said ''firstly the congress convened to discuss the future of Europe and to take recommendatory decisions about the necessary reforms. A constitutional agreement draft was put forward as a result of the studies of this congress which continued between February 2002-July 2003. This draft is taken up by the Intergovernmental Conference. The last form is expected to be given to the draft during Brussels summit.''
''Turkey actively participated and contributed in this historic process from the beginning by feeling the responsibility of being a member of EU family. We expect EU to support also at the political level the progress which our country recorded in EU membership process in Brussels summit. I will meet with some of my EU counterparts, Foreign Minister will also have such bilateral contacts. In this framework we will have the opportunity to discuss in details the issues regarding our membership process. Our main target is to make EU take the decision of starting full membership negotiations in December 2004. I expect confirmation of the fact that Turkey is progressing in that direction at the end of the EU summit. I am sure that our country will get the support it deserves,'' Erdogan added.
(Öª) 11.12.2003