Lagendijk: Entry Talks With Turkey Should Start As Soon As Possible

BRUSSELS - ''We welcome recommendation of the European Commission. Entry talks with Turkey should start as soon as possible,'' said Joost Lagendijk, the co-chairman of the Turkish Parliament-European Parliament (EP) Joint Parliamentary Commission.
Lagendijk held a news conference in Brussels on Wednesday.
He said, ''impacts of 'silent revolution' in Turkey are seen today. The faster the talks start with Turkey, the better it will be. Second half of 2005 will be good for this beginning.''
Recalling, ''Turkey targets full membership and has worked to reach it so it does not want a special cooperation,'' Lagendijk said, ''conservatives should not distort this.''
Touching on importance of effects of Turkey's accession to the EU, Lagendijk said he found positive the control mechanism which was established to follow the implementation of reforms in Turkey. He noted, ''the Commission exceeded the limits by recommending the suspension of free movement of Turkish labor force. It is against EU laws and it is dangerous.''
(GC-MS) 06.10.2004