SARAJEVO - The Balkans were no more remembered with negative concepts, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday.
The Summit of Southeast European Countries Co-operation Process Heads of State and Government ended in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Erdogan, who attended the meeting, joined a press conference with heads of state and government of other participating countries.
Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan said, ''as a country which lost many people due to terrorism, I would like to stress that we feel deep sorrow over violence which occurred in Kosovo last month and which caused loss of lives and property. We wish that it won't overshadow 'Balkan Model' understanding. In this way, the Balkans has overcome negative concepts which were mentioned when Balkans was in question and started to be remembered with concepts like 'ethnic harmony, mutual respect and co-existence in peace.' We should exert efforts to ensure world peace.''
Erdogan wished success to Romania, who would take over the term president of Southeast European Countries Cooperation Process.
Asked if Turkey would support NATO membership of participating countries, Erdogan said, ''we will continue to support initiatives of these countries on the road to NATO membership as we have done so far.''
Erdogan went to Bosnia-Herzegovina on Tuesday.
Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan, who met with Greek Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis on Wednesday, said after the meeting that they would always preserve their good will mutually on Cyprus.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Greek Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis, Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and Greek Foreign Minister Petros Moliviatis held a quartet meeting in Sarajevo the same day. During the meeting, Turkish and Greek sides discussed the Cyprus issue and the bilateral relations.
Speaking at the Seventh Summit of Heads of State and Government of Southeast European Countries Co-operation Process, Erdogan said, '' when foundation efforts for the Southeast European Countries Co-operation Process started about eight years ago, today's level of co-operation among the Balkan countries was unimaginable. Today, ongoing reform process and co-operation in our region which was described in the past as the powder keg of Europe, have reached an exemplary level for the other regions in the world.''
Erdogan was received by Presidency Chairman Sulejman Tihic of Bosnia-Herzegovina and met with Prime Minister Adnan Terzic of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Prime Minister Ivo Sanader of Croatia and Prime Minister Fatos Nano of Albania.
(BRC) 21.04.2004