THE HAGUE (CIHAN) - Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said on Monday that it was at the EU's own initiative to open accession talks with Turkey.
Commenting on statements by US President George W. Bush who asked EU leaders to open accession talks with Turkey, the Dutch Prime Minister said that the European Union will decide itself whether to open accession talks with Turkey or not.
The Dutch Prime Minister told the state-run news agency ANP that the remarks of US President Bush regarding Turkey's EU membership would not have a positive or negative impact on Turkey's EU aspiration.
Balkenende said that the pre-condition of the Turkey's EU membership is the fulfillment of the Copenhagen criteria as the EU demands. "The EU Copenhagen criteria is the only condition," the Dutch Prime Minister said.
During his meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan two weeks ago, Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said that Holland will decide on Turkey's EU membership after seeing the EU progress report on Turkey.
Holland is preparing to take over the term presidency of the EU on July 1.
The EU Commission is due to issue a Progress Report this October on whether Turkey has met the EU political criteria.
Turkey is hoping to begin accession talks with the EU commission in December now that it has legislated numerous EU-inspired reforms in recent years, which have been praised by EU leaders.