Arinc: Turkey's Eu Membership Will Show The Whole World That Islam Can Reconcile With Modernism

VIENNA - Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc said on Tuesday that Turkey's European Union (EU) membership would show the whole world that Islam could reconcile with modernism.
Austrian Parliament Speaker Andreas Kohl hosted luncheon in honor of Arinc.
Speaking at the luncheon, Arinc said that Turkey was aware of Austria's political, economic and cultural position in Central Europe and Balkans.
Noting that Turkey attributed great importance to Austria which had an important place within the EU with such a position, Arinc said that they wanted to improve relations between Turkey and Austria in every field.
Stating that Turkey had crossed the critical threshold with respect to meeting the Copenhagen criteria with the comprehensive reforms it had been making to reach the target of starting membership talks with the EU, Arinc said that also determination had been displayed in implementation of those legal arrangements.
Stressing that Turkey had been recording significant progress also in economic field, Arinc said, ''I think that the real problem in front of Turkey's target of integration with the EU is the prejudices stemming from the history in addition to several wrong information in the EU public opinion. As representatives of people, your support to us is very important as to removing the existing doubts and suspicions.''
Noting that current changes in international environment had gradually increased importance of integration of Turkey which was a rapidly developing country and had Moslem population, with the EU on basis of common interests, Arinc said that also the perspective of strategic interests should be taken into consideration about Turkey's EU membership.
''Turkey has a population of mostly Moslem people and at the same time Turkey is a democratic and secular state of law that had adopted modern European values, being a model to both Europe and Islamic world and a factor of stability in the most turbulent place in the world,'' he said. ''Turkey's EU membership will show the whole world that Islam can reconcile with modernism and prove that Moslems and Christians can live together on basis of common values and interests,'' Arinc added. Meanwhile, Austrian Parliament Speaker Andreas Kohl said that they were closely monitoring the developments in Turkey.
Noting that Turkey and Austria had special relations, Kohl said that Turkish citizens living in Europe constituted the bridge of those relations, adding that they supported the Turkish government's reforms.
(MS-AY) 20.01.2004