BRUSSELS - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul attended on Thursday luncheon of Group of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party organized by Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt prior to European Union (EU) Summit of the Heads of State and Government.
Following the luncheon, Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and Prime Ministry Foreign Affairs Adviser Egemen Bagis told reporters that Erdogan was invited to the luncheon by Verhofstadt and he was welcomed warmly by European Liberal Democrats.
Bagis said that European Liberal Democrats was a choice for AK Party just as Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats.
Today's luncheon showed that door of liberals was opened to AK Party, Bagis noted.
Asked what AK Party's choice was, Bagis said, ''what is important is how to defend Turkey's interests in the best way.''
Bagis stated that there was contact between European Liberal Democrats and Christians.
Pointing out that two groups sent high-level representatives to AK Party congress, Bagis said that they were evaluating their proposals.
Issues related with EU constitution which is being drafted, decision-making mechanism, restructuring of EU Commission and European Parliament, economy and budget were taken up in the meeting.
The meeting was also attended by EU Commission President Romano Prodi, European Parliament Pat Cox and prime minister and ministers of several European countries from European Liberal Democrats.
(BRC-AY) 11.12.2003