Prime Minister Erdogan Leaves For Germany

ANKARA - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that he would note that Turkey would make significant contribution to peace, stability and security of Europe and efforts to make European Union (EU) a global force.
Prior to his departure for Germany, Erdogan told reporters that he would attend International Bertelsmann Forum in Berlin which would start on Friday.
Erdogan said that International Bertelsmann Forum was a platform where issues that were high on EU's agenda were taken up in a political level.
High-level politicians, economists and journalists would attend the forum, Erdogan noted.
Erdogan stated that besides him, Latvian President, Prime Ministers of Germany, Ireland, Romania and Croatia, foreign and defense ministers of some countries, European Union (EU) Commissioner for enlargement Guenter Verheugen, European Central Bank President, and former U.S. State Secretary Henry Kissinger would also attend the forum.
''In tomorrow's session, I will deliver a speech on how differentiated integration strategies of an enlarged Europe can be developed. Within this framework, we will discuss what can be done if Intergovernmental Conference which meets to finalize constitutional agreement on EU's future has a deadlock due to obvious reasons. Also, I will explain Turkey's contributions and future contributions to the Union,'' Erdogan said.
Erdogan went on saying, ''I will once more reiterate that we are determined to fulfil our obligation to start membership negotiations with EU in December 2004 by recalling the great progress we have recorded in accession process.''
''I will say that Turkey will make a significant contribution to peace, stability and security of Europe and efforts to make EU a global force, undertaking an indispensable role as a country integrated with EU in prevention of possible political and cultural decompositions in a wide geography,'' Erdogan said.
Erdogan pointed out that he would hold bilateral meetings with some heads of state and government and meet with Turkish businessmen in Germany.
(BRC) 08.01.2004