ANKARA - The European Union (EU) Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen will have meetings in Turkey between September 5th and 9th.
Verheugen will visit Ankara, Diyarbakir, Izmir and Istanbul. His visit before the announcement of EU Commission's Progress Report for Turkey on October 6th is very important to discuss recent developments in Turkey's reform process.
This will be the last visit of Verheugen to Turkey before the EU will decide whether to start entry talks or not.
Turkish Foreign Ministry stated on Friday, ''one of the basic targets of Turkish government's foreign policy is to urge EU to make a (positive) decision as regards to fix a firm date to start membership negotiations with Turkey after the December 2004 EU summit and Turkey's position on this issue will be stressed one more time during the visit of Commissioner Verheugen.''
Verheugen will come to Turkey late on Sunday and he will start his meetings in Ankara on Monday morning. He is expected to meet Ankara Ambassadors of EU countries at a working breakfast.
Verheugen will then meet Turkish Foreign minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and they will hold a joint news conference. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will receive Verheugen who will then attend a luncheon with representatives of non-governmental organizations to be hosted by EU Commission's Turkey representative Hans Joerg Kretschmer.
Verheugen will proceed to southeast Diyarbakir province in the afternoon and he will meet Governor, Mayor and representatives of non-governmental organizations. Verheugen will also visit some non-governmental organizations on September 7th.
Proceeding to Aegean Izmir province, Verheugen will meet Governor, Mayor and representatives of non-governmental organizations. He will attend the luncheon which will be hosted in his honor by businessmen and hold a news conference.
Verheugen will then proceed to Istanbul and depart from Turkey on Thursday.
(GC-AY) 04.09.2004