Sener: If Cyprus Issue Is An Obstacle For One Country's Full Membership, This Country Should Be Greek Cypriot Side

KORFEZ - State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener said on Friday that Cyprus issue would not constitute an obstacle for Turkey's EU membership and he believed that the EU would give a negotiation date to Turkey in December 2004.
Responding to questions of journalists, Sener said that Cyprus was not a precondition and sine qua non for Turkey' EU membership.
''There are certain expressions about Cyprus in progress report, but they don't have the character of being a precondition. They are only expressions about the solution of Cyprus issue. If Cyprus issue is going to be an obstacle for one country's EU membership, this should be valid firstly for the Greek Cypriot side. Cyprus was not put forward as a precondition when EU gave its decision about the Greek Cypriot side. We have an important period in front of us. EU will give its decision about Turkey in December 2004. Copenhagen criteria are precondition and the government launches intensive efforts to fulfil these criteria. Constitutional amendments were made about this issue. I believe EU will give us negotiation date in December 2004,'' he said.
(Öª-AÖ) 12.12.2003