BERLIN - Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc said on Wednesday that Turkey wanted to walk with Germany on its European Union (EU) membership process.
Arinc, who is currently in Germany on an official visit, and German Federal Parliament Speaker Wolfgang Thierse held a joint press conference.
Stating that they considered EU an integrity of values, Arinc said that they attached great importance to those values and they wanted to put into practice those values in Turkey for happiness of Turkish people. That's why his country has been making arrangements in administration system for years, he said and stressed that many countries especially Germany supported Turkey's EU membership after the Turkish parliament fulfilled several reforms.
Arinc said that Turkey's being a member of the EU would solve partially cultural and political crises in the world and noted that Turkey was a bridge between East and West and Islam and Christianity.
Noting that Turkey was located in a very important region, Arinc said that Turkey had close relations with countries in this region.
Thierse said that Turkey has made very significant reforms in recent years. He stated that he considered that EU Commission's report on Turkey would be positive and heads of states and governments would take a positive decision on Turkey's EU membership at the end of 2004.
Stating that Arinc and he discussed Turkey's EU membership, Thierse said that German political parties had some different views on Turkey's EU membership, but those political parties appreciated reforms in Turkey.
Thierse noted that release of Leyla Zana, the former deputy of the outlawed Democracy Party (DEP), was a very important development in regard to state of law and stated that it was also a very important signal in regard to Turkey's EU membership perspective.
Thierse said that Arinc and he also took up Cyprus issue and stated that he said clearly that Turkey played a constructive role in this issue.
(EÖ-AÖ) 16.06.2004