ANKARA (CIHAN) - Leyla Zana, the freed ex-MP of the now defunct pro-Kurdish Democracy Party (DEP), asked for support from EU ambassadors for Turkey`s EU membership bid.
The ex-MPs of the DEP including Leyla Zana, Orhan Dogan, Hatip Dicle and Selim Sadak gave a lunch for the American and EU ambassadors to Turkey on Monday. EU Commission Representative to Turkey Hansjörg Kretschmer, the ambassadors of Holland, the Czech Republic, Ireland, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Estonia and Hungary and diplomats from other EU countries and the USA attended the lunch.
Turkey aspires to begin entry talks with the European Union (EU) by the end of 2004, and has adopted a series of EU harmonization packages, including political and economic criteria, to meet membership requirements.
Leyla Zana thanked the EU diplomats for their support in her appeal process. Zana asked for help for Turkey`s EU membership aspiration. "We can`t think of the Turkish people as separate from the Kurdish people and vice versa, and we can`t think of Turkey as separate from the European Union.
"EU membership for Turkey will confirm the position of people who favor change and peaceful solutions. The Kurdish problem should be solved in by a democratic and peaceful basis. During my southeast trip, I saw that the people believe that they could manifest their own language and cultural problems within their identity of being Turkey citizens. The past should not be forgotten and sufferings should be shared to create change." Zana said.
Last month, the Turkish Supreme Court freed the four former pro-Kurdish-DEP deputies, including Nobel peace prize nominee Leyla Zana, who were jailed in 1994 for ties with the PKK.
The Dutch ambassador told reporters that the meal was an opportunity to meet. He said that the EU welcomed the release of the ex-MPs of DEP. The Dutch ambassador said that they would come together again.