ANKARA - Turkey's aim was to enable the European Union (EU) to decide to open full membership negotiations with Turkey in December 2004, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday.
Prior to his departure for Ireland to attend the ceremony held upon the accession of ten new members to the EU, Erdogan told reporters that he would hold bilateral meetings in Ireland.
Ten countries which signed Accession Treaties on April 16, 2003 would formally and actually become EU full members as of today, Erdogan said.
Erdogan noted that enlargement wave of the EU towards East European countries was a historic step for elimination of differences in Europe which had occurred after the World War II.
The EU would become the biggest political and economic formation thanks to its enlargement process, Erdogan stated.
Erdogan said, ''it should not be forgotten that such a development is occurring peacefully and pluralistically for the first time.''
Modest cooperation and mutual dependence process, which had started in the field of coal and steel in order to heal wounds of two world wars that had erupted in the last century, had turned into a European Union comprised of 25 members which foresaw today's political situation after undergoing economic cooperation and common market stages and also envisaged common foreign policy and defense identity, Erdogan stated.
Erdogan said that Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey were candidate countries on the road to EU membership.
''EU's announcing Turkey a candidate country at the Helsinki Summit held in 1999 was a turning point in Turkey-EU relations. Thus, not only Turkey but also the EU confirmed that their partnership was going through full membership. Likewise, we are being invited to EU meetings with other candidate countries. And, this is because of Turkey's and EU's confirmation at Helsinki Summit. During the Copenhagen Summit held in December 2002, the EU decided that Turkey met Copenhagen political criteria in December 2004, it would open accession negotiations with Turkey,'' Erdogan said.
Erdogan went on saying, ''statements made in EU member countries are sometimes reflected differently in our country. Negotiation process and full membership are two different issues. Sometimes, full membership is confused with negotiation process and statements saying 'now, a new and different process is put forth in front of Turkey' are being made. Such statements cause creation of a different atmosphere in our country. Negotiation process is a different step while full membership is another step. The decision that the EU will take in December 2004 is a decision on beginning of negotiation process. I should underline it.''
''Full membership is another process. I can't know when Turkey will become full member. I can't know if it lasts for three, five, seven or ten years. It depends on implementation of adjustment packages and fulfillment of economic criteria during the negotiation process,'' Erdogan said.
Erdogan noted that Turkish government had submitted a constitutional amendment package which could be defined as a ''mini package'' to the Turkish parliament.
All measures had been taken for full and efficient implementation of necessary steps, Erdogan stated.
Erdogan said, ''we aim to get a date from the EU to start membership negotiations in EU Summit due in December 2004. I hope that the EU will take a correct decision at this summit.''
When Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul recalled his words about Greek Cypriot administration, Erdogan said, ''this is confused: The Greek Cypriots are joining the EU. Therefore, they have become EU full member. We are interlocutors in commissions and meetings. Now, everybody will meet in the foreign ministers meeting held during the summit. We will talk and shake hands like it or not. This is inevitable. This is a pre-known thing.''
Erdogan continued, ''since we know that we will face such issues, we exerted great efforts to enable Cyprus to join the EU as the United Cyprus Republic. But, the Greek Cypriots' opening an embassy in Turkey or our recognizing them as a separate country... This is a process. We will consider how they behave. It is too early to say anything. We haven't make a decision on this issue yet.''
''We will see whether or not they will act with good or bad will there. We will see whether or not they are causing problems against Turkey or Turks or whether they are supporting Turkey responsibly to ensure a lasting peace. Let's first see their mood and then, we will make an evaluation,'' Erdogan added.
TRNC and Greek Cypriot side voted United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem in simultaneous referenda held on April 24.
Sixty-five percent of Turkish Cypriots voted ''yes'' to the Annan plan while 35.09 percent voted against the plan in the simultaneous referenda. A total of 75.83 percent of the Greek Cypriots said ''no'' to the plan while 24.17 of them voted ''yes.''
The rate of participation in the referendum was 84.35 in TRNC and 96.53 percent in the Greek Cypriot side.
Today, the Greek Cypriot side is expected to join the EU together with nine other countries including Estonia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia.
(BRC) 01.05.2004