ANKARA - Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Thursday that agenda of NATO summit that would take place in Istanbul and many other issues about it would be discussed during the informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers.
Gul, who left for Brussels, gave information to journalists about his scheduled meetings in Belgium.
Gul said this would be the last NATO foreign ministers meeting prior to the NATO Heads of Government and State Meeting in Istanbul between June 28 and 29.
Gul said he would also participate in a ceremony to hoist the flags of seven new members of NATO which will be held at NATO headquarters during the meeting.
''As Turkey, we have always supported accession of those countries to NATO and we are among the leading countries supporting NATO's 'open door'' policy,'' Gul noted.
Gul said he would also join NATO-Russia Partnership Council meeting which would be held in the same day with the participation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and noted that the meetings were important for formation of a platform between NATO and Russia.
Gul said bilateral meetings would be held within the meeting.
Foreign Minister Gul stated that he would proceed to Rotterdam on April 3 to join the meetings which would be held on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Turkish migration to the Netherlands.
Gul said he would go to Maastricht on April 4 and will deliver a speech in a symposium entitled, ''Turkey and EU: A View Beyond Prejudice''.
Gul said he would also have the opportunity to meet with many representatives of the Dutch government and parliament. He said the Netherlands was an important country for Turkey in EU process at it would take over EU term presidency in the second half of 2004 when the EU would make a decision regarding start of full membership negotiations with Turkey.
Gul said he would return to Turkey on Sunday evening completing his visit to Belgium and the Netherlands.
(AY-AÖ) 02.04.2004