Erdogan: E.U. Membership Will Continue To Constitute The Main Political And Strategic Target Of Our Government

BRUSSELS - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is currently in Brussels to represent Turkey at the summit meeting of heads of state and government of European Union (EU) countries, has said, ''the EU membership will continue to constitute the main political and strategic target of our government.''
Holding a press conference on Saturday, Prime Minister Erdogan reminded that he had held bilateral talks with members of the European Liberal Democrats Group, EU Parliament Speaker Pat Cox, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of current EU Term President Italy and British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
''During these meetings, Turkey-the EU relations were taken up in detail. The meetings focused on the inter-governmental conference. A compromise has been reached to a great degree on the text of constitutional treaty. I believe that a consensus could be reached by postponing implementation of some issues to a further date,'' he said.
Prime Minister Erdogan noted, ''Turkey has made an active and productive contribution to the process of inter-governmental conference from the very beginning. We have defended that compromise reached at the convention should be protected essentially, but formulas aiming at progressing it should be adopted. Actually, the process has progressed on this direction. We stressed that all necessary arrangements about the Union's overcoming new risks, its assessing new opportunities and its becoming a more active actor in the international platform should be included in the constitutional treaty.''
Referring to the final statement of the summit, Prime Minister Erdogan told reporters, ''this summit is not characteristic in regard to Turkey's EU membership process. However, it is of importance in regard to assessment of the period since Copenhagen Summit and determination of some points for the coming period. The final statement has politically confirmed the technical assessment in the Progress Report of the EU Commission. The EU eulogized our government's efforts to fulfill the reforms, and acknowledged that Turkey had fulfilled most of priorities in the Accession Partnership Accord. The EU said in its final statement that Turkey should take some steps on some issues. We have already attributed importance to these issues. We have a more powerful will to fulfill all criteria next year.''
Erdogan said that connection which was established between Cyprus issue and Turkey's EU targets was mentioned in the final statement of the summit with a different expression style, and stated that EU had told Turkish side that solution of Cyprus issue was not a criterion for opening of membership negotiations since Helsinki Summit in 1999.
''Turkey will continue to exert intimate efforts for solution of Cyprus issue with a full openness and determination. We are supporting good intention mission of U.N. Secretary General. I would like to emphasize once again that Cyprus issue should be taken up in its own course independently from Turkey's membership. Not only Turkish Cypriot side, but also Greek Cypriot side should be encouraged for solution,'' Erdogan noted.
Stating that he was pleased with the EU's condemning harshly terrorist attacks in Istanbul and its support to Turkey in fight against terrorism, Erdogan said that it was confirmed again that only international society could fight together against terrorism which was a cross-border trouble.
Erdogan said, ''our accession to the EU will continue to be basic political and strategic target of our government. We will carry on constantly our studies to meet fully Copenhagen political criteria. We are determined to make Copenhagen criteria Ankara criteria. This message was also given to Turkey in the final statement of the summit. Turkey was asked to further develop preliminary studies for negotiations. I believe that EU will also assess properly our efforts. Turkey's perspective on full membership to EU is a civilization project for Turkey and it is also a strategic affluence for EU.''
Erdogan said, ''the expression in the final statement of Brussels Summit about Southeastern Anatolia region has caused some misunderstandings. Actually, it depends on lack of information. The EU has not used this expression for the first time. The expression was included in the Accession Partnership Accord of March 2001 and the revised Accession Partnership Accord of May 2003. It is about removing the difference in distribution of income among the regions. We have already begun taking steps to remove this difference and to provide the balance among some regions of eastern, southeastern and northern parts of Turkey.''
''The phrase of 'cultural rights' is not regarded with only southeastern part of Turkey. The EU did not use this phrase by mentioning a certain region or ethnical group. Our government will maintain its sensitivity till the end,'' he said.
Upon a question, Prime Minister Erdogan said, ''we will expend sincere efforts by putting into practice the reform packages till December of 2004. Then, the EU-member countries will take a decision. Their interest and expressions in the final statement are positive. Turkey's accession to the EU will further enrich the EU. The EU-member countries should realize this. The EU should also display the same will to accept Turkey's membership. We do not consider the EU a Christian club or a union limited with geographical borders. According to our point of view, the EU is simply a economic union. We consider the EU a whole of political values. European Parliament Speaker Pat Cox's latest statement is very meaningful to this end. Cox said that the current Turkish government had carried out many significant works and made a series of reforms. We have maintained our determination to put into practice these reforms. If we face some problems, we will do our utmost to overcome them. The expression about macro-economic balances is not a criterion about accession talks process. It is a criterion for full membership. Opening of accession talks between Turkey and the EU will be beneficial for both sides.''
Responding a question about the Cyprus question, Prime Minister Erdogan said, ''Turkey will take all necessary steps without any delay. However, our interlocutors should also take the same positive steps.''
Stating that British Prime Minister Tony Blair and he touched on fight against terrorism during their bilateral meeting, Erdogan said that the decision of UEFA was not sportive, but political. He added, ''it is a stain for UEFA. We hope that this mistake will not occur again.''
''We, as AK Party, consider that any organization which was involved in terrorism and abetted it irrespective of its thought was involved in terrorism. Our security units determine it. We should do our utmost to help them. If we help them, revealing terrorist organization will be easier. I appreciate rapid success of our security units in latest incidents,'' he noted.
When he was reminded that headscarf would be banned in France and asked how Turkey would be affected by such developments, Erdogan said, ''what sort of implementation will France make? What sort of decision European Court of Human Rights will take? What sort of decision Turkey did give? What attitude Turkey will assume? Will we assess those in the same category? There are different implementations in Europe and the United States. My daughters have been studying in the United States in a way of respecting freedom of belief. The decision which is wanted to be taken in France seems as a decision which targets primary education and high school. It is out of question in schools excluding state schools. There are also differences in other countries and provinces. There is not any problem in some provinces, but some of them have such problems. We said that we should provide social consensus from the very beginning. We said that if we can achieve it, it will be more appropriate and better. There should be an effort on this issue. We have said that AK Party will not be the source of tension from the very beginning and we are determined to assume this attitude.''
Meanwhile, when a reporter said that EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen said that there was corruption in elections in TRNC, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said, ''he also knows that elections will be held fairly. Everyone knows that efforts for solution should be exerted after elections. He said that no matter who wins elections, he expects efforts for solution to be started. He did not say anything which will overshadow elections. He did not make any discrimination between the opposition and the government.''

TURKEY HAS THE DETERMINATION TO MAINTAIN ITS REFORM EFFORTS IN ALL FIELDS
ANKARA - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has said, ''Turkey has the determination to maintain its reform efforts in all fields for the European Union's (EU) taking a decision in its summit in December of 2004 for opening of accession talks with Turkey.''
Releasing a statement on Saturday, the MFA said, ''although Brussels Summit is not characteristic in regard to Turkey's EU membership process, it is of importance for assessing the period after Copenhagen Summit and putting forward some points for the coming period.''
''In the final statement of Brussels Summit, the EU eulogized Turkey's reform efforts and confirmed its determination to support Turkey in maintaining the reform process. The final statement also included some points which Turkey should do in order to completely fulfill political criteria. Actually, these points have already been included in our priorities,'' it said.
The MFA stressed, ''Turkey has the determination to maintain its reform efforts in all fields to accomplish its target of reaching the level of modern civilizations. We believe that the EU would assess Turkey's efforts appropriately in its summit in December of 2004 and take a decision to open accession talks with Turkey. Turkey will fulfill Copenhagen political criteria for the EU's taking a decision in its summit in December of 2004 for opening of accession talks with Turkey.''
Recalling that the final statement indicated some economic issues, the MFA said, ''fulfillment of Copenhagen economic criteria is not a condition for opening of accession talks. It is a well-known fact that these are the criteria that should be fulfilled before EU membership.''
Referring to the Cyprus question, the MFA said, ''Turkey has been supporting efforts to find a solution to the Cyprus question under the good will mission of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan. Cyprus is an issue that should be taken up separately. Any connection between solution of the Cyprus question and Turkey's EU membership process will not help Turkey-the EU relations. Solution of the Cyprus question is not a criterion for opening of accession talks between Turkey and the EU. Both the EU and Turkey have been confirming it since Helsinki Summit in 1999.''
Meanwhile, the MFA expressed satisfaction over inclusion of expressions in the final statement condemning terrorist attacks in Turkey and saying that fight against terrorism required co-operation.
(EÖ-UK) 13.12.2003