ISTANBUL - European Parliament (EP) President Patrick Cox met with Association of Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen (TUSIAD) members in Istanbul on Wednesday.
Following the luncheon hosted in his honor at the Ciragan Palace, Cox said that he was pleased to visit Istanbul.
Noting that they had made detailed negotiations with high-level managers of TUSIAD, Cox said they had discussed particularly the positive approach of Turkey towards European Union membership.
Meanwhile, TUSIAD Board Chairman Omer Sabanci said that EP was one of the four important institutions of the EU. ''They made customs union deal with us and they have always made decisions which support our membership process. Their criticisms were actually effective in guidance of our reforms.''
Noting that they had made a very productive exchange of opinions with Patrick Cox, Sabanci said, ''Cox is the first EP President paying an official visit to Turkey so even this visit bears a political message.''
(MS-AÖ) 03.03.2004