WARSAW - Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer expressed hope late on Tuesday that Poland would continue to support beginning of Turkey's European Union (EU) membership negotiations in December.
Sezer, who is paying an official visit to Poland, attended dinner hosted in his honor by Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski.
In the dinner, Sezer stressed that Turkish-Polish relations were rooted in history.
Noting that Poland's esteemed place in the world history had been promoted as it was the pioneer of the process of change in Europe, Sezer appreciated personal contributions of Kwasniewski to that formation.
Sezer showed Poland's membership to NATO and EU during Kwasniewski's term in office as examples of Kwasniewski's contributions.
Poland had gained what it deserved as it became NATO and EU members, Sezer stated.
Sezer emphasized that both positive and negative incidents had occurred in Europe in the last 60 years.
Turkish President Sezer expressed pleasure to see that walls had been demolished, blocs had ended, and countries which had same goals had tended to form unions.
Those positive developments should not be blocked by artificial obstacles, Sezer noted.
Sezer expressed thought that walls and blocs should never be permitted again.
Poland's EU membership would have comprehensive impact, Sezer said.
Sezer stated that the recent enlargement wave of the EU had been more meaningful with Poland's membership, adding that Turkey's future membership would be another important chain of that significant formation.
Turkey and Poland should never allow interests of third countries to overshadow their rooted friendship, Sezer stressed.
Sezer expressed pleasure to see during his meetings in Poland that two countries had similar approaches to several international and regional issues and had similar views about possible solutions.
Nobody should doubt that Turkey's EU membership would have mutual benefits, Sezer said.
Sezer expressed belief that commercial and economic relations between two countries should be further improved.
Although investments of Turkish businessmen amounted to 200 million U.s. dollars in Poland, investments of Polish businessmen in Turkey were very low, Sezer said.
Sezer stated that Polish businessmen should keep in mind that Turkey had made legal arrangements and facilitated foreign investments.
Besides rooted relations, geopolitical positions and similarities in their roles, increasing international responsibilities and future expectations of Turkey and Poland brought them closer to each other, Sezer noted.
Sezer said that two countries should take joint steps to get closer to each other and hoped that his meetings in Poland would contribute to bright future of the two countries.
Kwasniewski stressed that diplomatic relations between Turkey and Poland had continued for six centuries.
Poland was the first European country which had recognized Turkish Republic after it was founded in 1923, Kwasniewski said.
Kwasniewski stated that two countries had signed a friendship agreement which was still valid today.
Polonezkoy, formed in Istanbul by Polish migrants, was the symbol of Polish-Turkish friendship, Kwasniewski emphasized.
Kwasniewski said that his country would like to support Turkey's efforts to join the EU and appreciated Turkey's reforms and efforts on the road to EU membership.
Polish President Kwasniewski expressed belief that Turkey's solutions would not only be accepted by EU communities but also ensue stability in the Near East, Caucasus and the Balkans.
Kwasniewski said that economic relations between Turkey and Poland should be further improved.
Sezer, who went to Poland on Monday, was welcomed by an official ceremony by Kwasniewski earlier on Tuesday.
Following their tete-a-tete meeting and meeting between the delegations, Sezer and Kwasniewski held a joint press conference. Sezer said, ''formations in Europe has gained a new dimension and acceleration as a result of enlargement of the European Union (EU). However, we believe that the EU enlargement should be a process. Turkey's becoming a member of the EU will be a significant stage in this process.'' Kwasniewski said that Turkey should exist within the EU.
Sezer later met with Polish Prime Minister Marek Belka and Parliament Speaker Josef Oleksy and Senate Speaker Longin Pastusiak.
(BRC) 02.06.2004