ANKARA - EU Commission President Romano Prodi said on Thursday that impressive progress was achieved by Turkey regarding reforms, adding that ''the country is now closer to the European Union.''
Prodi, who came to Ankara upon the invitation of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan the same day, held a joint news conference with Prime Minister Erdogan after their meetings.
Recalling that he was the first EU Commission President who visited Turkey, Prodi said that his visit was important in that regard. Prodi said that they took up the need for further launching efforts for implementation of the reforms undertaken by Turkey during the meetings.
Prodi said that his meetings were useful, adding that they also discussed Cyprus issue and noted that EU expected Turkey to use its influence on the Turkish Cypriot side.
Prodi said that the solution of Cyprus issue was not a precondition for Turkey's EU membership, pointing out to the importance of a solution on the island before May 1.
ERDOGAN: TURKEY IN FULL CONSENSUS TO CATCH UP WITH EU STANDARDS
Erdogan defined his meeting with Prodi, EU Commissioner for enlargement Guenter Verheugen and members of the Commission as fruitful.
He informed Prodi and accompanying delegation about steps taken by Turkey in recent days and planned to be taken in the future, Erdogan noted.
Erdogan stated that Turkey's EU candidacy was announced at Helsinki Summit of December 1999 when Prodi was the president.
''It is Mr. Prodi who will complete the process launched in Helsinki,'' Erdogan said.
Erdogan expressed pleasure to see that Prodi and members of the Commission had assumed a very constructive and supportive approach.
''We once more confirmed that our reforms, particularly our steps to meet Copenhagen political criteria, have been welcomed by the Commission. This support will encourage us to meet the remaining criteria. Deficiencies that our country should overcome related with Copenhagen political criteria have been listed in the progress report and resolution of Brussel Summit held in December 2003. Our government is determined to take necessary steps as soon as possible,'' Erdogan said.
Prime Minister Erdogan said that they reached a consensus of opinion to be in closer dialogue and cooperation with the EU Commission, adding that ''we will have a busy meeting schedule at all levels, so we will have the opportunity to explain by first hand and in time the reforms undertaken by Turkey during the membership process.''
Erdogan noted that the Progress Report that would be prepared by the EU Commission would have a significant importance in respect of the decision to be given about Turkey, adding that proposals about Turkey would also be put forward in the strategy document in line with the assessments to be made by the Commission's Progress Report.
Erdogan stated that Turkey's biggest expectation from the Commission was its taking as the basis the decisions taken in Helsinki Summit final declaration on Turkey and to stay within the scope of Copenhagen political criteria.
Erdogan said that they would be honoured by Prodi's addressing the Parliament, adding that ''our parliament adopted very important legal regulations to date, in that respect I attach very much importance to the messages to be given by Mr. President in his speech in the parliament.''
Erdogan stated that he was sure that Prodi and other members of the delegation would observe at all levels the resolution of Turkey on the EU path, adding that Turkey's parliament, government, opposition, NGOs and nation were in full consensus in reaching the EU standards in all fields.
PRODI: EU APPRECIATES TURKEY'S PROGRESS
Prodi said that he saw that Turkish government was determined to become EU member in his tete-a-tete meeting with Erdogan and meeting between delegations.
The Commission gave place to Turkey's steps in the progress report unveiled in November 2003, Prodi pointed out.
Prodi said, ''my main message is for Turkey to continue along the path of reforms because impressive progress has been achieved, and the country is now closer to the union.''
Recalling that the Commission would prepare a new progress report before 2004 ended, Prodi said that this report had importance for Turkey's EU membership.
Prodi stated that recommendations in that report would be ''fair and deep.''
European Commission President Prodi hoped that Turkey would continue its progress on the road to EU membership.
Prodi said that Turkish government dedicated itself to implementation of reforms and defined his meetings as ''warm, frank and fruitful.''
ERDOGAN: ALL OUR EFFORT IS FOR FINDING A JUST AND PERMANENT SOLUTION TO CYPRUS QUESTION
Replying to questions about the effect of Cyprus issue on Turkey's EU membership, Erdogan said that there was a de facto situation and its solution would affect the process in a positive direction, but Cyprus issue was not a preliminary condition of Copenhagen political criteria and was not among the conditions.
Prodi said that their attitude about Cyprus issue was very clear and the solution of the issue would have positive effects on Turkey's EU membership target. He added that they hoped Turkey to use its influence on the island for a comprehensive solution of the issue.
Noting that the solution of Cyprus issue was not a precondition for Turkey, Prodi said that Turkey's membership would be evaluated only according to Copenhagen criteria.
Prodi said that it would be beneficial to find a solution to Cyprus issue until May 1 and added that solving this issue would help Turkey's EU membership process.
TOPPARLIAMENT SPEAKER ARINC SAYS PARLIAMENT IN FULL CONSENSUS ABOUT EU MEMBERSHIP
ANKARA - Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc said on Thursday that parliament was in full consensus of opinion about European Union (EU) full membership.
Arinc received European Commission President Romano Prodi and accompanying delegation.
Parliament Speaker Arinc expressed pleasure with Prodi's visit and said that Prodi's addressing the parliament where only presidents and prime ministers delivered speeches was the sign of importance attached by Turkey to EU.
In his part, Prodi said that he was paying his visit to Turkey when Turkey-EU relations were strong.
Prodi noted that European Council supported Turkey's adjustment works for its EU full membership bid.
The Commission headed by him would prepare a report evaluating Turkey's adjustment to Copenhagen criteria, Prodi recalled.
Prodi added that the report would be based on objective and deep analyses.
PRODI ADDRESSES PARLIAMENTARY GENERAL ASSEMBLY: TURKEY HAS A MATCHLESS PLACE AMONG EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
Prodi who addressed the parliament said that his visit reflected that relations between Turkey and EU had never been that much good and important decisions on future of candidacy of Turkey would be taken within this year.
Noting that Turkey which united secular and democratic state structure with a majorly Muslim country had a matchless place among European countries, Prodi said that he believed that Turkey, in the beginning of this new century, would have a unique contribution to peace and regional stability. He added that Turkey's repeatedly calling friendly Muslim countries to develop democracy and human rights actively was a strong message.
Prodi said that they entered a process now which would further develop the relations and added that they aimed to create an EU which could answer expectations of its citizens and had a full role in world issues.
NOBODY SHOULD SUSPECT THEIR VIEW THAT TURKEY WAS CLEARLY A PART OF EUROPE
Prodi said majority of Turkish people were sharing the same values and targets with other European people and added that Turkish people wanted to live in a democracy depending on supremacy of law and respect to human rights, and as it happened in everywhere terrorist activities aimed to harm those values in Turkey as well and they would not be successful.
Noting that in a very short time important constitutional reforms and seven legal packages were adopted in Turkey, Prodi said that many of those reforms were adopted with the support of majority and opposition parties and unanimously.
Prodi said that solution in Cyprus issue would majorly comfort Turkey's membership expectations and added that it would also affect clearly the decisions to be taken in the second half of 2004. He said that it was not an official condition, but a political reality.
Noting that Cyprus would enter EU on May 1, 2004, Prodi said that if Turkish and Greek Cypriots had entered EU together, it would have been a source of inspiration and thus he invited sides to start negotiations led by the United Nations rapidly. He added that the aim should be sides' reaching an agreement on the basis of Annan Plan for a united Cyprus' accession to EU on may 1, 2004.
Prodi said that Turkey had a unique chance to reach its aim and to strengthen its position as a free and democratic society among EU countries. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and many ministers listened to the speech of Prodi.
Also EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen and ambassadors of EU countries listened to the speech at Parliament.
BAYKAL MEETS WITH PRODI
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said on Thursday that Turkey should wait for the historical decision to be taken in November by completing its duties and added that he conveyed the European Union (EU) Commission President Romano Prodi that he hoped and trusted that the government would have the necessary determination in this issue.
Baykal met with Prodi in his office at Parliament.
Baykal told reporters after the meeting that Prodi received the views of CHP about various issues.
Baykal said that he explained Prodi the approach of CHP to EU issue in regard to both historical and current problems. He added that Turkey should wait for the historical decision to be taken in November by completing its duties and there should not be any deficiencies.
Noting that Prodi wanted to learn his views about Cyprus issue, Baykal said that he conveyed his and his colleagues' views and concerns to Prodi one more time and Prodi said that he had the hope of an opening to remove those concerns.
ERDOGAN HOSTS DINNER IN HONOR OF EU COMMISSION PRESIDENT PRODI
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that the decision of the European Union (EU) in December 2004 would be a preference between continuation of Turkey-EU relations on the necessary path and the relations' dragging into undesired paths.
Recalling that Prodi's term in office would end soon, Erdogan said that Prodi would undersign a term which was very significant for Turkey.
Noting that during the term when Prodi had started his term in office, Turkey's candidacy was being discussed, Erdogan said that today the things that Turkey had to fulfill were getting less.
Stressing that important changes happened in Turkey's view towards EU during the time passed since December 1999, Erdogan said that Turkey learned not to see EU only within the frame of relations between two sides. Noting that Turkey started to be interested in the future of EU and its inner problems, Erdogan said that he believed that Turkey would be a helper, not a difficulty for EU with its settled consensus and diplomacy culture.
Noting that he knew that there were some uneasiness and question marks in regard to Turkey's full membership to EU, Erdogan said that there could be and there were people among the officials of commission who shared this uneasiness.
Erdogan said that the decision to be taken in December 2004 would be political and stressed that the commission would affect this political decision to an extent.
Noting that Turkey's EU membership would be the best answer to a new cold war and tension which were tried to be revived today, Erdogan said that the source of those tensions were the opinions and ways of belief of those who saw others as ''others'' and wanted to act like that.
Erdogan said that EU's receiving Turkey with open arms on the basis of ''unity in diversity'' would create a new civilization synthesis and world vision.
Erdogan said that Islamic world equated the issue whether Turkey would be given negotiation date in 2004 or not with the question whether Muslims had a place in Europe or not. He added that if negotiations did not start, he was afraid that it would cause a big disappointment and that it would be understood as Muslims did not have a place in Europe.
Noting that Turkey would continue reform efforts and to renovate itself, Erdogan said that Turkey wanted to see EU on its side.
Prodi expressed his gratitude to Erdogan for his government's success in development of Turkey-EU relations and said that they were aware of how Turkey had a difficult struggle in clash of civilizations in the Mediterranean and conveyed his appreciation.
Prodi said that they were all paving on the same path and they would not allow religious differences to be used for discriminating among people, adding that they had a common history and strengthening friendship and future of relations were their debt.
Stressing that Turkey-EU relations were as old as European history, Prodi said that he would like to commemorate a few important leaders who had contribution in strengthening of those relations.
Prodi said that first of those leaders was Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, adding that Ataturk had realized how relations with Europe were important in Turkey's modernization process. He said that he had the chance to meet with other two leaders and one of them was Turgut Ozal. Prodi said that he admired wisdom and common sense of Ozal for years, but Turkey had never made such a progress as it made in the term of Erdogan, adding that he brought a stable government to Turkey.
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, State Minister Mehmet Aydin, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen, Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Commission Chairman Mehmet Dulger, Parliamentary Human Right Commission Chairman Mehmet Elkatmis, ambassadors of EU countries to Turkey and other high-ranking officials also attended the meal.
(AA) 15.01.2004