ANKARA - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said on Monday, ''we rely on the European Union (EU) to take a positive decision in December of 2004 about opening of accession talks with Turkey. Initiation of accession talks is essential for us. We do not have any expectation about a date for full membership.''
Following their tete-a-tete talks and meetings between Turkish and German delegations, Erdogan and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder held a joint press conference.
Expressing his pleasure with hosting a German chancellor in Turkey after a period of 11 years, Prime Minister Erdogan described Germany as Turkey's biggest partner in Europe both economically and culturally.
''Recent positive developments in bilateral relations between Turkey and Germany have further deepened and developed our co-operation in every field. We concentrated on Turkey-the EU relations during the meetings. Also, the issues of Cyprus, Iraq, the Middle East, NATO Summit to be held in Istanbul in June, and Afghanistan were brought onto agenda,'' he said.
Erdogan expressed his satisfaction over support of the German government to Turkey's EU accession process and recent clear and positive messages about Turkey's membership to the EU.
''On this occasion, we emphasized that Turkey had fulfilled considerably the Copenhagen political criteria in regard to regulations, and exceeded the critical threshold. We stressed that we were determined to put legal reforms into practice. We have agreed to maintain our talks in the coming period,'' he said.
Reminding that German Chancellor Schroeder and he would attend Turkish-German Economic Forum in Istanbul later in the day, Erdogan said that they would meet with Turkish and German businessmen at a dinner.
''Tomorrow, we will inaugurate the Sugozu Thermic Power Plant constructed jointly by Turkish and German firms in Iskenderun town of southern province of Hatay,'' he said.
When asked, ''do you expect the EU to set a schedule in its summit in December? When will accessions talks start and come to a conclusion? Did you enjoy statements of German Chancellor Schroeder more than last week's statements of German Christian Democrat Union Party (CDU) leader Angela Merkel?'' Prime Minister Erdogan said, ''we rely on the EU to take a positive decision in December 2004 about opening of accession talks with Turkey. We fulfilled necessary reforms about the adjustment in 2003 toward this goal. Now that we are in implementation process. Initiation of accession talks is essential for us. We do not have any expectation about a date for full membership. The EU member countries will take necessary decision when time comes and after what should be done is fulfilled within negotiation process.''
Erdogan said, ''the difference between the visit of German opposition CDU party leader Angela Merkel and Mr. Schroeder is not a difference that is formed just today. This is a process since Helsinki. Mr. Schroeder has exhibited a positive point of view since that time. Of course, statements of Ms. Merkel are not new for us. We knew them beforehand. We hope that they will have a common view. Turkey and Germany have a family structure. We have 2.5 million citizens living there. 600 thousand of them have become German citizens. The bridge between us and our citizens is very strong and rich. I hope that this view will reach a more positive position in Germany due to this bridge.''
Replying to a question on ''what kind of support may Germany expend to the government in implementation of reforms in Turkey? How long will it take to put the reforms into practice as a whole? And when Kurdish television and radio broadcasts can take place all around Turkey?'' Erdogan said, ''before all, putting the reform into practice is a deed of Turkey, it is a problem that should be solved. We have started to put this into practice. Necessary regulations have been issued about the broadcasts. Those who want to make broadcast according to the regulations, have the opportunity to do this in regions they want. There is not any obstacle. As you know, several steps are taken for them to learn their own languages. Those who want to open courses on this issue, started to take actions. As far as I know, two courses have been opened in Southeastern Anatolia. They continue to exert effort to teach their mother tongue. Any obstruction is out of question. Our government will oppose to those who want to obstruct them because we are determined on this issue. Laws are made to be abided by. Laws are not made only to remain on pages. Our government issued the laws to put them into practice, and it has the necessary will.''
Schroeder said that Turkey could certainly rely on Germany's support to Turkey's EU bid.
Schroeder said that he was very pleased to be in Turkey, adding that close relations between the two countries were very important.
Noting that Germany always supported Turkey's desire of EU membership, Schroeder said he didn't have any doubt that this desire would come true when the EU Commission saw that the criteria were met by Turkey.
Schroeder stated that there were two reasons for Germany to support Turkey, noting that the EU opened the way to Turkey's membership 40 years ago, and that EU gave some promises to Turkey by realizing the importance of Turkey in its region in that period.
Schroeder stated that the tendency of Turkey to be a stability factor in the region also continued during Erdogan's government and this approach speeded up in economic and political fields. He said that Turkey, as a country which coupled European values with those of its region would contribute both to democracy in Turkey and to stability in the region.
Schroeder stated that Germany had economic interests in that process, and noted that he would have meetings in many fields in Turkey with his accompanying businessmen delegation. He referred to the benefits of developing business opportunities in fields of transportation, railways, airlines, and energy.
Pointing out that starting of full membership negotiations and full membership were not the same thing, Schroeder said that starting of the negotiations would speed up the bilateral relations and development of economy.
Asked whether or not Turkey could trust in Germany when December 2004 came, German Chancellor Schroeder said that Germany's attitude was clear on this issue and stated that Turkey could absolutely trust in Germany's support.
Schroeder said that if European Commission asks Germany's recommendation for the report it will prepare, their recommendation will be to support Turkey.
Stressing that Turkey's reform process was moving forward positively, Schroeder said that if those reforms took roots in Turkey, the possibility of the report to be positive would increase.
Schroeder said that they conveyed the message that Germany could support implementation process of reforms in their meeting with Erdogan and noted that Germany's vote was definite on the basis of the report. He stressed that if conditions were fulfilled, Germany's vote would be in favor of starting negotiations with Turkey as soon as possible.
Replying to a question, Schroeder said that Germany did not change its policy on Turkey's EU process during the period of his government and recalled that Germany supported Turkey since Helsinki Summit. He added that views which said that there was a change in policy of Germany might be expressed mistakenly.
Asked whether or not new conditions would be put for Turkey, Schroeder said that conditions of the EU were definite and noted that it was impossible to put new conditions.
Schroeder said that EU welcomed current Turkish government's constructive attitude on solution process of Cyprus issue and added that continuation of efforts for solution of Cyprus issue would make positive contributions to decision process of the EU.

(Öª-EÖ-AÖ) 23.02.2004