ANKARA - Pierferdinando Casini, the President of Italian Chamber of Deputies, said on Tuesday that he believed Turkey should be a member of the European Union (EU).
Speaking at a joint news conference together with Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, Casini said EU needed Turkey and the Turkey needed EU, stating that this was a long process and many steps had to be taken. However, he noted, EU has to set a definite date to Turkey to start full membership negotiations.
Casini said intergovernmental relations between Turkey and Italy were carried out in the highest level. He said as the parliament speakers, he and Arinc had to provide establishment of relations between the parliaments and parliamentarians of the two countries.
Stating that he was an active supporter of the EU and that Italian media knew this well, Casini said he was a Christian democrat and that Christian democrats formed the EU. ''However,'' he noted, dialogue among the religions and races, recognizing and respecting each other and advancing together were the most important values lying under the basis of the EU.
Casini said there were many problems in the world, stating terrorism was one of those problems with which the world had to cope. He said fight against terrorism was itself the World War III.
Casini said he would like to state some of his concerns regarding Iraq, and noted that they closely watch the efforts of the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on the issue and wished the UN to play a more determining role on Iraq.
Speaking about Cyprus, Casini said this was a long lasting problem and described efforts of Turkey as noteworthy. He said Turkey assumed an extremely bold attitude, noting Turkey pursued a perfect path.
Meanwhile, Arinc mentioned positive relations between the two countries.
Stating that Italian Senate Chairman was also planning to visit Turkey, Arinc said thus a perfect level could be reached in intergovernmental and interparliamentary relations.
Arinc said very important issues were discussed both in bilateral talks and talks between the delegations of the two countries, and emphasized that they were pleased to observe that there was a unity of idea and attitude between the two countries.
Arinc said they saw that Italy, which was the EU Term President last year, continued to extend very important and honest support to Turkey.
Arinc said they discussed Iraq, Cyprus, Palestine-Israel and Afghanistan to some extend, stating that those issues not only concerned the region, but also the security, tranquility, and peace of the world.
Arinc said they also discussed Cyprus, adding that, ''in the twin referenda held in Cyprus, Turkish Cypriots proved that they favored a solution. They voted 'yes' with 65 percent, however, the Greek Cypriot side voted 'no' in the referendum with 75 percent. The EU countries, the United States and all the world should save Turkish Cypriots, favoring solution, from this isolation from now on. I requested Casini to exert efforts in this respect.''
(AY-AÖ) 04.05.2004