Sezer Issues New Year Message

ANKARA - President Ahmet Necdet Sezer issued a New Year message on Wednesday.
Presidency Press Center stated that Sezer said in his message that Turkey left behind a year with its sad events, pains, memories and happiness and entered a new year with the hopes to reach a brilliant and happy future.
Sezer wished 2004 to bring peace, brotherhood, tranquility, happiness and prosperity to Turkish nation, Turkey, world and all humanity.
Sezer said that 2003 was a year which Turkey and the world experienced important developments. Noting that some sad events, disasters and pleasing developments were experienced in 2003, Sezer said that terrorist attacks in Istanbul which caused many citizens to die or get injured had deep effects in social life.
Sezer condemned one more time those attacks which were launched by focuses that could not digest progress of Turkey, secular, democratic, modern state and society structure, peace and tranquility.
Sezer offered condolences to the families of those who died in the attacks and wished rapid recovery to injured ones.
Sezer said that the confidence milieu in economy and decreasing tendency of inflation were hopeful developments. He stressed that populist stances should be avoided for not spoiling the confidence milieu in economy.
Sezer said in his message that fights, clashes and terrorist activities also continued in 2003 in the region in which Turkey was situated, adding that the problems which threatened the humanity were not solved despite the progress reached in all fields.
Pointing out to the importance of democracy culture, Sezer said that ''all countries should act in a responsible manner and extend support to the efforts of the international institutions for preventing the fights, protecting peace and solving the common problems of the world.'' Sezer said that Turkey whose main principle was peace in the country and peace in the world called other countries to accept the same view in order to reach universal peace.
President Sezer also referred to developments in Iraq.
''The things that happened in neighbouring country Iraq continue to take place on the agenda of the country and in the world. We hope the capture of Saddam Hussein to contribute to installation of security and stability in Iraq and to speed up its normalization process. The uncertainties regarding the future of Iraq both concern us and also the international society. The Turkish nation feels great sorrow over the continuation of casualties in its neighbour Iraq. The developments in Iraq closely concern our country. For that reason we continue to be careful and sensitive about the possible developments in Iraq and about implementation of our national interests in the most effective way. Installation of lasting stability in Iraq, reformation of the public order, establishment of a democratic regime in which all ethnic groups are represented fairly and Iraq's having full authority over its country and natural resources is our sincere wish. Protection of Iraq's territorial integrity and political unity is indispensable element of Iraq's and the region's stability. Our sensitivity in that regard is known by everybody,'' Sezer said.
''Turkey which believes in supremacy of law in international relations, bases its foreign policy on that basic principle. Our search for respect of international law regarding the steps taken about Iraq within the year constituted the basis of our policy towards Iraq,'' he added.
In his message Sezer said Turkish nation, who wanted to share a stable, brilliant and peaceful future with its European partners, evaluated the EU membership in line with its targets.
Sezer said Turkey's full membership to the EU, which verified point of view of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the Founder of Modern Turkish Republic, toward future, is an inseparable part of Turkey's strategic vision.
Sezer said, ''important steps have been taken since the Helsinki Summit, where Turkey's candidacy to EU was accepted. It is obvious that we will continue reform efforts in line with the desires and expectations of our nation. Full membership to EU constitutes a part of Turkey's long term national plan.''
Sezer said, ''upgrading the living conditions of Turkish nation, and broadening individual rights and freedoms with more advanced understanding and practices, would also be our essential goal in 2004.''
Sezer said, ''we hope that our European partners will consider joint political, economic and strategic interests which link Turkey to EU, and objectively evaluate Turkey's situation showing that Turkey is ready to start full membership negotiations.''
Sezer said Turkey expected a date to be set to start full membership negotiations by the end of 2004 the latest and without any delay. ''We believe that our European friends will evaluate the efforts of our country and take a decision to start negotiation in December 2004 summit.''
Sezer said Turkish nation, who wanted to share a stable, brilliant and peaceful future with its European partners, evaluated the EU membership in line with its targets.
Sezer said Turkey's full membership to the EU, which verified point of view of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the Founder of Modern Turkish Republic, toward future, is an inseparable part of Turkey's strategic vision.
Sezer said, ''important steps have been taken since the Helsinki Summit, where Turkey's candidacy to EU was accepted. It is obvious that we will continue reform efforts in line with the desires and expectations of our nation. Full membership to EU constitutes a part of Turkey's long term national plan.''
Sezer said, ''upgrading the living conditions of Turkish nation, and broadening individual rights and freedoms with more advanced understanding and practices, would also be our essential goal in 2004.''
Sezer said, ''we hope that our European partners will consider joint political, economic and strategic interests which link Turkey to EU, and objectively evaluate Turkey's situation showing that Turkey is ready to start full membership negotiations.''
Sezer said Turkey expected a date to be set to start full membership negotiations by the end of 2004 the latest and without any delay. ''We believe that our European friends will evaluate the efforts of our country and take a decision to start negotiation in December 2004 summit.''
Sezer said Turkish nation, who wanted to share a stable, brilliant and peaceful future with its European partners, evaluated the EU membership in line with its targets.
Sezer said Turkey's full membership to the EU, which verified point of view of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the Founder of Modern Turkish Republic, toward future, is an inseparable part of Turkey's strategic vision.
Sezer said, ''important steps have been taken since the Helsinki Summit, where Turkey's candidacy to EU was accepted. It is obvious that we will continue reform efforts in line with the desires and expectations of our nation. Full membership to EU constitutes a part of Turkey's long term national plan.''
Sezer said, ''upgrading the living conditions of Turkish nation, and broadening individual rights and freedoms with more advanced understanding and practices, would also be our essential goal in 2004.''
Sezer said, ''we hope that our European partners will consider joint political, economic and strategic interests which link Turkey to EU, and objectively evaluate Turkey's situation showing that Turkey is ready to start full membership negotiations.''
Sezer said Turkey expected a date to be set to start full membership negotiations by the end of 2004 the latest and without any delay. ''We believe that our European friends will evaluate the efforts of our country and take a decision to start negotiation in December 2004 summit.''
Sezer said, ''as wounds caused by terrorism were still fresh in Turkish nation, bomb attacks that occurred in Istanbul in November shook Turkish and the world public.''
Sezer said, ''we believe that no cause or target will be shown as reason to inhumane attacks,'' and noted that history showed that people can not lead anywhere with terrorist actions which are crime of humanity.
Sezer said that they wished the year 2004 to be one in which Cyprus issue would reach a lasting and fair solution and the security and prosperity of Turkish Cypriots would be taken under guarantee.
''Our country which wishes sincerely a solution in Cyprus, also has political willingness about this issue,'' said Sezer.
In his new year message, President Sezer said that the established democratic institutional structures and legal system of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) were confirmed once again by the general elections which were held in TRNC on December 14, 2003. Sezer said that ''the international society should accept this reality and assess correctly the results of the elections.''
President Sezer said that studies regarding the formation of the new government started in TRNC, adding that he hoped the studies to be concluded in short time.
''We think that a compromise and comprehensive solution in Cyprus could be provided on the basis of the existing realities on the island also by benefiting from the steps taken by the Turkish Cypriot side and the confidence building measures it proposed in Cyprus. Everybody should know that we are ready to do our mission in that regard. Turkey will continue to support TRNC and the Turkish Cypriot people. We want our Turkish Cypriot friends to save themselves from unjust embargoes which caused them to suffer for long years and we want them to integrate with the international society and Europe,'' Sezer said.
Sezer noted that installation of peace and stability in the region where Turkey was situated and benefiting from economic development and cooperation opportunities in a way that was to the interest of all regional countries was among the basic priorities of Turkish foreign policy.
''Turkey will continue to develop its relations with all of its neighbours on the basis of mutual interest and respect for their internal affairs also in the year 2004,'' said Sezer.

(Öª-AÖ) 31.12.2003