DUSSELDORF - Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc expressed late on Thursday Turkey's hope that the European Union (EU) would start full membership negotiations with Turkey at the end of this year without any discrimination and privileges.
Arinc, who is paying a visit to Germany as the official guest of German Federal Parliament Speaker Wolfgang Thierse, told a press conference that Turkey had changed its Constitution and laws to begin talks with the EU.
Recalling that there was difference of opinion among German political parties about Turkey's EU membership, Arinc expressed wished that the Christian Democrat Party (CDU) would change its view.
Expressing pleasure with his positive, sincere and fruitful meetings in Berlin and Dusseldorf, Arinc said that friendship groups between two countries would continue their reciprocal visits.
Arinc, the first Turkish parliament speaker visiting Germany since 11 years, said that trade volume between Turkey and Germany reached 17 billion U.S. dollars, and noted that there were thousands of Turkish investors in Germany.
Arinc, who went to Germany on Sunday, met with representatives of Turkish associations, German Federal Parliament Speaker Wolfgang Thierse, Berlin State Parliament Speaker Walter Momper, CDU leader Angela Merkel, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, Matthias Wissmann, member of CDU and the chairman of the European committee of the German Parliament, and was received by German President Johannes Rau on Monday and Tuesday.
Turkish Parliament Speaker Arinc attended a dinner hosted in his honor by German-Turkish Parliamentary Friendship Group Chairperson Claudia Roth on Tuesday evening.
Arinc proceeded from Berlin to Dusseldorf on Thursday and met with North Rhine Westphalia State Parliament Speaker Ulrich Schmidt.
Turkish Parliament Speaker Arinc is expected to return to Turkey on Friday.
(BRC-AÖ) 18.06.2004