BRUSSELS - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul attended on Thursday a luncheon hosted by Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt in Belgian capital Brussels.
High-level representatives of ten ruling liberal parties in European Union (EU) member countries, European Commission President Romano Prodi, European Parliament President Pat Cox and European Parliament's Liberal Group leaders also participated in the luncheon hosted in honor of Group of the European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party (ELDR).
Erdogan and Gul were invited to a working meal hosted by Verhofstadt during the EU summit last March in honor of European liberal leaders, and they participated in the working meal.
ELDR Chairman Graham Watson, after the working meal, announced that they wanted to see the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) led by Erdogan under the umbrella of ELDR.
Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats (PPE) Chairman Wilfried Martens expressed their wish to see AK Party in the Christian Democrats Group.
Asked if his participation in the working meal of the liberals meant that AK Party would join ELDR, Erdogan said that he was attending the working meal as a guest and observer, and his friendship with the liberals was strengthening. Erdogan said that he had asked for some time to decide and he was given that time.
Martens then said that Erdogan's participation in the working meal of the liberals did not prove that Erdogan withdrew from Christian Democrats and chose ELDR, adding that he wanted Erdogan to apply to join PPE.
(BRC-AÖ) 17.06.2004