ROTTERDAM - Turkey considered the European Union (EU) a union of political values where civilizations met, not a Christian club or an address where civilizations conflicted, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday.
Erdogan, who attended the meeting of Turkish-Dutch Business Forum in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, wished that trade volume between two countries and Dutch investments in Turkey would increase.
Recalling that the EU would decide at the end of this year on whether or not to open full membership negotiations with Turkey, Erdogan said that Turkey had fulfilled Copenhagen political criteria and made constitutional and legal changes.
Erdogan said that Turkey continued to put the reforms into practice.
Recalling about developments in Cyprus, Erdogan said that the Greek Cypriot side joined the EU while economic isolation of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) continued.
Erdogan said that the double standard should be ended and noted that it was Turkey's right to expect end of TRNC's economic isolation.
Some arrangements related with abolition of State Security Courts (DGMs) and broadcasting and education in different languages and dialects had been made in Turkey, Erdogan stated.
Erdogan said that Turkey had a dynamic population and this population would strengthen the EU.
Turkey would be a complementary element in the EU since it considered EU a union of political values where civilizations met, not a Christian club or an address where civilizations conflicted, Erdogan emphasized.
Erdogan said that Turkey was a country which could unite its democratic culture with Islam culture.
It would be easier for Turkey to change Islam world's perspective on EU after it had taken over the Office of Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Erdogan pointed out.
Erdogan stressed importance of Turkey's getting a date to start negotiations with the EU.
''We have to create an EU where civilizations meet and reconcile. If we are to eradicate terrorism, we have to achieve this goal,'' Erdogan added.
Erdogan, who went to the Netherlands early on Wednesday, was received by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, met with Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende and received Dutch Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Gerrit Zalm.
After their meeting, Erdogan and Balkenende held a joint press conference.
(BRC) 16.06.2004