Gonul: I Hope We Would Get Date From Eu At End Of This Year

GOLCUK - Turkish National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul has said he hoped that Turkey would get a date from the European Union at the end of 2004 for opening of membership negotiations.
Speaking to reporters during a visit to Golcuk, Gonul said that Turkey had recorded significant progress.
''Now we are before the EU's door as a powerful Turkey. The inflation rate has reduced to one-digit figures. We started negotiations in 1963 but we missed that opportunity. I hope that we would get a date for start of accession talks from the EU at the end of this year,'' he said.
(MS-AÖ) 04.06.2004