ANKARA - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that Turkey-European Union (EU) relation was neither a unilateral relation nor an imposition or submission.
Speaking in the meeting of Justice and Development Party (AK Party) at parliament, Erdogan said that Turkey did not do anything which would harm its interests in EU membership process.
''We will never listen to words of some circles whose political statements have been exhausted,'' Erdogan said.
Recalling that some news regarding Southeastern Anatolia was published after EU summit held in Brussels last week, Erdogan said what was mentioned here was regional imbalance.
Erdogan recalled that AK Party promised to end imbalance among regions before the general election.
Nobody could say ''there was regional imbalance in Turkey'', Erdogan stated.
Erdogan said that they wanted to take serious steps in urbanization and development.
With their initiatives, they wanted not only to keep up with EU standards but also raise living standards of Turkish people, Erdogan pointed out.
Erdogan said that European interlocutors sometimes ''made wrong statements'' about Turkey and democracy in Turkey.
He saw during his meetings that ''most of those mistakes resulted from lack of information,'' Erdogan noted.
Erdogan said that they would not give up their aim to improve democracy due to such statements.
''Necessary responses are given to such statements through diplomatic channels. Nobody should have any doubt. EU membership is a target for Turkey's future vision. Sincere efforts are exerted to reach this target. And, we try to eliminate our deficiencies. Turkey-EU relation is neither a unilateral relation nor an insistence or submission. Turkey's EU membership is a cooperation based on mutual interests, a sharing and a project of mutual enrichment,'' Erdogan said.
Erdogan stated that both EU and Turkey would gain from Turkey's membership.
Turkey's EU accession would end discussions if ''EU was a Christian club'', if ''EU was a geographical union'' and ''if EU was an economic union'', Erdogan said.
Erdogan went on saying, ''EU is in fact a union of political goals, a compromise of civilizations, a meeting of civilizations, an address of civilizations. What will strengthen this statement is Turkey's accession. Of course, we have paid attention to this sensitive philosophy. We have never done anything which will harm Turkey's interests in EU membership process. Disagreements should and will be solved through talks and considering interests of two sides as equal.''
''These issues should not be a tool of political maneuvers. Turkey has a rich historical heritage with its nation and state. All our interlocutors irrespective of their location in the world are aware of this heritage and experience of Turkey. We are on an opener and stronger ground today when compared with yesterday's conditions to make EU negotiation process work in our favor. EU authorities should also well-evaluate this ground as much as we do,'' Erdogan added.
(BRC-AÖ) 16.12.2003