STATE MINISTER AYDIN: ''IF THE EU DOES NOT SET A DATE FOR OPENING OF ACCESSION TALKS WITH TURKEY, IT WILL HARM RELATIONS''

ISTANBUL - ''If the European Union (EU) does not set a date for opening of accessions talks with Turkey at its summit in December, it will create great disappointment in Turkey, harming the relations which have been continuing between Turkey and the EU for more than four decades,'' Turkish State Minister Mehmet Aydin said in a conference on Turkey's accession to the EU.
The conference organized jointly by Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and British think-tank organization Wilton Park on ''Turkey's Accession to the EU'' started at Istanbul's Dedeman Hotel on Wednesday.
Making opening remarks of the conference, State Minister Aydin said, ''the EU will make the biggest enlargement of its history this May. We hope that the EU's enlargement process will continue.''
Recalling that the relations between Turkey and the EU had reached a critical point, Aydin said, ''Turkey has been exerting great efforts to fulfil all Copenhagen criteria to start accession talks with the EU.''
He informed participants of the conference on reform process in Turkey.
Stressing that there had been freedom of religion in Turkey and religious minority groups had been granted larger opportunities, Aydin recalled that broadcast in mother tongues would start soon.
''The changes in human rights and democratization have also reflected in economy. The Turkish economy has been strengthened recently, and people's confidence has been secured. Despite all these developments, it is hard to say that Turkey has fulfilled all membership criteria. Our current target is not to become a member of the EU, but to make reforms in all fields of the daily life reached European standards,'' he said.
Aydin emphasized that Turkey's accession to the EU would have a positive impact in the Islam society, and help efforts to put an end to the clashes among civilizations.
Recalling that the rapprochement between Turkey and the EU had also affected the bilateral relations between Turkey and Greece positively, State Minister Aydin said, ''a possible compromise and a lasting peace in Cyprus will be more worthy now.''
Referring to arguments over granting Turkey a special status, Aydin said, ''we already have special relations with the EU for the last four decades. Turkey is the only country becoming a member of the Customs Union before its accession to the EU. Granting Turkey a special status does not include any special condition. Now, the only thing in question is full membership. If the EU does not set a date for opening of accession talks with Turkey at its summit in December although Turkey fulfilled all political criteria, it will give rise to a serious disappointment and things will not work as they used to be. We will have many difficulties in explaining such a decision of the EU to the Turkish public opinion. If the EU does not set a date in December, it will play harm relations with Turkey that continued for more than 40 years. Meanwhile, opening of accession talks will form a new road map. We do not have an unrealistic expectation of becoming a member of the EU in a night. We will try to do everything in our power to complete accession talks within an acceptable period of time. We are aware of that this process can take years. Turkey's performance, of course, will be the indicator of how long these talks will continue.''
Emphasizing that Turkey should exert more efforts to reach its target, Aydin said, ''when we take into consideration the recent developments, I want to believe in a more powerful and integrated EU including Turkey among its members.''
BARONESS CRAWLEY: SOLUTION OF CYPRUS ISSUE TO BRING BENEFITS TO TURKEY IN ITS PATH TO EU
Solution of Cyprus issue was to the benefit of Turkey on its path to the European Union (EU), Baroness Crawley, British Government Spokeswoman in the House of Lords, said on Wednesday in a conference entitled ''Turkey's Accession to EU''.
Baroness Crawley who participated in the conference on behalf of Baroness Elizabeth Symons, British Foreign Office Minister, said that bomb attacks in Istanbul and Madrid were staged against values of Europe.
Crawley said that Europe would not remain silent to those attacks and stated that terrorists would face with the heaviest penalties.
In regard to importance of this year for Turkey-EU relations, Crawley said that the report which would be prepared by the EU Commission was a key for Turkey's opening accession talks with EU.
Stating that Turkey made very important reforms on civilization and human rights, Crawley said that especially legal arrangements on prevention of human rights violations and torture should not remain on paper and put into practice.
Crawley said that Turkey's full membership to the EU would also contribute to security of Europe.
In regard to Cyprus talks, Crawley said that Cyprus issue was not a criterion for Turkey's membership, but it could be said that there was a positive connection between the two issues and noted that solution of Cyprus issue was to the benefit of Turkey on its path to the EU. Stating that Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government's approach to Cyprus issue brought benefits to Turkey on its path to the Union, Crawley said that if Cyprus was to join the EU as a whole, Turkish people would also follow the Turkish Cypriots.
The conference will end on March 26.

(EÖ-AÖ) 24.03.2004