Arinc: We Are Making Reforms For Happiness Of Our People

BERLIN - Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc said on Tuesday that they were making reforms for happiness of Turkish people.
Arinc, who is currently paying an official visit to Germany, met with German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer.
''If the European Union (EU) decides not to start membership negotiations with Turkey at the end of the year, it will disappoint us much. But we are fulfilling reforms for our people,'' Arinc stated.
Arinc thanked Germany for its support to Turkey for its EU membership and said that they hoped that this support would continue.
Fischer said that he admired Turkey's courage and dynamism in fulfillment of reforms.
Stating that he visited several countries due to election of members of the European Parliament, Fischer said that he explained necessity of Turkey's being a member of the EU during his visits. He added that reforms in Turkey surprised some countries and some of them had some concerns.
Fischer noted that if decided to start membership negotiations with Turkey, German government would support it.
Stressing that Arab countries were monitoring reforms that were fulfilled in Turkey, Fischer said that reforms in Turkey also became model for those countries.
Fischer stated that Turkey and Turkish Cypriots were not responsible for failure of referenda held in Cyprus.
(EÖ-AÖ) 15.06.2004