ISTANBUL - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul has said, ``we have once again decided that Turkey and Britain will be in close cooperation in fight against terrorism.``
Gul and British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw held a joint news conference after their working meeting at the Conrad Hotel in Istanbul.
Expressing his pleasure with seeing Straw in Turkey once again, Gul said that although Straw`s visit reminded the saddening events in November of 2003, they had had the chance of discussing and evaluating many issues between Turkey and Britain.
``We have once again decided that Turkey and Britain will maintain their close cooperation in fight against terrorism,`` he said.
Noting that there were several matters that closely concerned both countries and one of them was the Cyprus issue, Gul said, ``we have once again reviewed the developments about this issue. I have informed Mr. Straw on what has happened so far. Also they, as a guarantor state, have responsibilities. Also they make every possible contribution to resolution.``
Gul said that they had also exchanged opinions on developments about Iraq and meetings on this issue would continue mutually.
Gul said that they also had the chance of discussing many bilateral issues.
STRAW SAYS THEY ARE POSITIVE TOWARD TURKEY`S MEMBERSHIP TO EU
Straw thanked Gul for displaying such a hospitality, stating that they met not for a hopeful incident but to join a memorial service for those who lost their lives in the suicide attack on November 20, 2003.
Straw said they commemorated 58 people who lost their lives in attacks on two synagogues in Istanbul on November 15, 2003 and on British Consulate General and HSBC Bank on November 20.
Straw said he and Gul had the opportunity to discuss three issues, naming them as Turkey`s application for EU full membership, Cyprus and developments in Iraq.
Stating that Britain from the beginning supported Turkey`s full membership to the EU, Straw said they supported this process and that they thought Turkey met Copenhagen Criteria well. Straw said they hoped Turkey will be able to get a date at the end of 2004 to start full membership negotiations.
Straw said U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and U.N. Secretary General`s Cyprus Special Envoy Alvaro De Soto led the talks in Cyprus, yet that being a guarantor state, they were closely interested in Cyprus issue together with Turkey and Greece for their interests there.
Straw said he congratulated and appreciated Turkey for the extremely positive attitude it assumed during the negotiations, and expressed hope that a positive result would be obtained.
Stating that they also discussed the bomb attacks in Iraq and Pakistan that occurred on Tuesday, Straw said Iraqi Governing Council decided for a temporary constitution last week as a result of talks, yet that announcement of this was delayed for the respect shown to those who lost their lives in the incidents.
Straw said the constitution would probably be published in the coming days.
Straw said Turkey and Britain would continue cooperation to strengthen fight against terrorism, stressing that incidents that occurred in Pakistan and Iraq after November 20 proved that very much progress should be made in the world in fight against terrorism.
STRAW: TURKEY`S ACCESSION WILL BE DEFINITELY BENEFICIAL FOR EU
When asked, ``the EU-member countries do not support Turkey`s membership as much as Britain. What do you want to say against these countries which do not want to see Turkey among the EU-member states,`` Straw said that heads of state and government and foreign ministers of the EU-member countries had earlier decided that a date would be set at the end of 2004 for opening of accession talks with Turkey. He replied to the anti-Turkey arguments in foreign press saying that Turkey, as a European country, had the right to apply to the EU membership like Britain and the other EU member countries.
Stressing that Turkey had made a great progress both in human rights and the other legal issues during term in office of both current and former governments, Straw said that he had always underlined that political institutions in ten countries, which would officially become member of the EU in near future, were more way behind the institutions in Turkey.
Upon a question about Turkey`s deficiencies, Straw said that Turkey should be treated equally with the other candidate countries.
Noting that the Copenhagen criteria were totally clear, Straw said that they would continue supporting the Turkish government in its EU membership process.
When asked, ``it was told that there were not any weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. What do you think?`` Straw said that investigation had still been continuing, however, works could not progress rapidly since Iraqi people did not welcome them.
Reminding that it had taken them more than 30 years to find some weapons in Ireland, Straw said that a quite broad coalition had decided to launch the military operation in Iraq.
Noting that it stemmed from an estimation about violating of the resolution of the United Nations Security Council no: 1441, Straw said that there were not any suspicion before and after the military operation.
Upon a question about likely impacts of a positive or negative result to be reached in the negotiation process in Cyprus on Turkey`s relations with the EU, Straw said that they all had been exerting efforts to come to a positive conclusion, adding that a decision would be taken for Turkish and Greek Cypriot peoples.
If Turkey maintained its positive attitude in the negotiation process, Turkey`s attitude would be appreciated whether the result was positive or negative, Straw said.
Following the joint press conference, Straw left Turkey for Pakistan.
(UK-BRC) 03.03.2004