ANKARA - Turkey would be very upset if there were still European Union (EU) member countries who thought of objecting to start full membership negotiations with Turkey, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said late on Monday.
Erdogan, who hosted a dinner in honor of ambassadors of EU member countries, said that Turkey had already met conditions which were fulfilled by some countries after they became an EU member.
When Spanish Ambassador to Turkey asked Erdogan if there will be a decline in reforms in case the EU gave Turkey a negotiation date in December, Erdogan said that Turkey was putting reforms into practice in order to meet needs of Turkish people, not to get a date from the EU.
Erdogan stated that Turkey would speed up and continue its reforms in case it gets a date to start full membership negotiations with the EU.
When Swedish Ambassador asked information about development of women's rights, Erdogan touched on the recent constitutional amendment which regulated women-men equality.
Erdogan said that women were sometimes recessive to undertake roles in social and economic life, adding that his Justice and Development Party (AK Party) gave more place to women in the local elections held in March to make women more active in politics.
Asked by British Ambassador to Turkey if Turkey thought of taking shocking steps to convince EU members who still thought of objecting to start negotiations with Turkey in December, Erdogan said, ''we will be very upset if there are still some countries thinking so. We have met Copenhagen criteria considerably. Those who think of objecting to negotiations with Turkey should know that we have already met conditions which are fulfilled by some countries after they become an EU member. Therefore, we don't have to shock anybody any more. It's your turn to take steps.''
The EU announced Turkey as a candidate country in Helsinki summit of 1999. After that date, Turkey has adopted many constitutional amendments and made legal arrangements to meet Copenhagen criteria.
Therefore, Turkey is expecting the EU to start full membership negotiations in its summit due in December.
(BRC-AÖ) 08.06.2004