ANKARA - ''The new bill envisaging to restructure the Turkish Secretariat General for the European Union (EU) has almost been completed'', sources said on Friday.
Sources told A.A correspondent that the Secretariat General, which will undertake the role of ''core institution'' during membership negotiations with the EU, will be reorganized under the name of ''Undersecretary's Office for the EU''.
The same sources said that Turkey planned to name a Minister of State to undertake relations with the EU after the EU set a negotiation date for Turkey.
The Undersecretary's Office for the EU would employ a large number of experts. The sources stated that the Office would assure coordination among all Turkish institutions dealing with EU, and also coordinate the use of EU funds.
Non-governmental organizations, universities and media would actively participate in the projects of the Undersecretary's Office for the EU, the same sources pointed out.
The sources said that all Turkish institutions would be restructured to adjust to the EU, and noted that public institutions which were not functioning properly would either be transferred to other ministries or be closed.
-CHIEF NEGOTIATOR-
On the other hand, deliberations continued to designate the delegation who would undertake negotiations with the EU officials after the Union set a negotiation date, it was learned.
Sources said that the head of the negotiation team would be a politician, while the chief negotiator would either be a politician or a professional.
Noting that the head of the negotiation team would steer the work of the team, the sources said that the chief negotiator could attend negotiations on his/her own.
(BRC-ULG) 22.10.2004