ANKARA - European Union (EU) could start full membership negotiations with Turkey at the beginning of 2005 if EU members were to take a decision in favor of Turkey in December 2004, Irish Ambassador to Turkey Sean Whelan said on Wednesday.
Speaking in a panel discussion on Turkey in the process of adjustment with the EU, Whelan noted that they had made recommendations to the EU Council to start entry talks with Turkey.
Whelan stressed that Ireland favored opening of EU entry talks with Turkey.
Expressing great pleasure with reforms made in Turkey, Whelan said that EU members encouraged Turkish government to continue its reforms and pointed out that those reforms showed how determined Turkey was on the road to EU membership.
Noting that there were still some steps to be taken by Turkey although Turkey had little time till December, Whelan expressed belief that Turkey would succeed in taking all those steps in that time as it had done so far.
Whelan stated that Turkish government had recorded great success in economy in recent days.
Turkish government had almost minimized inflation rate and had an inflation rate closer to that in EU countries and recorded a rapid growth rate, Whelan said.
Whelan noted that when EU's population which was getting older was taken into consideration, Turkey would make significant contribution to labor force in the Union thanks to its young, dynamic and educated population.
Also, Turkey's strategic location would be advantageous for EU, Whelan emphasized.
Whelan said that being a Muslim country would not be a negative factor for Turkey's EU membership process. Complaining that some circles misunderstood the issue or were misled about it, Whelan said that Turkey was a country which could overcome such misunderstanding.
Whelan noted that what was important was to share common cultural and humanitarian goals.
They had created a future-aimed vision by protecting common goals, Whelan stressed.
Touching on Cyprus issue, Whelan said that although EU was not a side to Cyprus negotiations, it not only supported the ongoing negotiations, but also hoped that negotiations would yield positive results.
Whelan added that parties had recorded great success in negotiations so far.
(BRC-AÖ) 31.03.2004