MERSIN (AA) - Turkish-Arab Businessmen Association Chairman Mehmet Hadra said on Saturday that Turkey, who got a date from the European Union (EU) to start full membership negotiations, should continue relations with Arab countries.
Hadra told a press conference that the target of their association was to improve trade as well as cultural and art relations between Turkey and Arab countries.
Meanwhile, commenting on Turkey's getting a date from the EU for membership negotiations, former Parliament Speaker Husamettin Cindoruk said, ''yesterday's result is neither a success nor failure. Getting October 3rd, 2005 is an acquisition.''
Addressing a seminar, Cindoruk said, ''the EU neither accepts us nor let us go. EU will make a decision according to the performance of Turkey.''
Cindoruk said there were two difficulties in agreement reached with the EU. ''One in negotiations' being 'open-ended' and the second is the Cyprus issue.''
Cindoruk defended that Turkey could not start negotiations if Ankara Protocol is not signed till October 3rd, 2005.
Sinan Aygun, the Chairman of Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO), said when the newspaper headlines were considered, this was seen as a success, but that it was not definite what would be brought in front of Turkey till October 3rd, 2005.
Defending the word derogation as ''limitation, prohibition'', Aygun said Turkey would meet various limitations even if it becomes an EU member.
Aygun said Cyprus issue was a ''question mark'', stating that, ''it is not definite what will be brought in front of us till October 3rd. Armenian issue, ecumenicalism, opening of Armenian border pass, and allegations on Armenian genocide were not brought onto the agenda. We can not know that would be asked from us from now on.''
Zafer Caglayan, Chairman of Ankara Chamber of Industry, said the decision to start full membership negotiations with Turkey till October 3rd, 2005 was pleasing, stating that, ''today is a new starting for Turkey. However the efforts actually start today.''
Caglayan said Turkey entered a new period from now on, noting that all sections of the society should undertake important responsibilities from now on.
Meanwhile, the Motherland Party (ANAP) Headquarters issued a statement and said a success was made in ''making concessions'' during the December 17th summit.
The statement said the demands, which have not been asked from any country since the foundation of the EU, was imposed to Turkey.
Recalling that in the previous statements of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, it was reported that a negotiation process would be taken without any condition and that Cyprus issue would never be brought onto the agenda, the statement said, ''we think that Mr. Erdogan does not accept those as condition.''
Dogu Perincek, the leader of Labor Party, said the commitments made by the government would not bind Turkey.
Perincek told a news conference at his party center in Istanbul that, ''we do not recognize the commitments made by the government. We announce to the whole world that those commitments would not bind Turkey.''
Mehmet Agar, the leader of the True Path Party (DYP) said, ''we consider the point that was reached as positive for continuation of the EU process.''
Agar told a news conference that EU presented opening of full membership negotiations with Turkey as a favor, stating that Turkey was exposed to a treatment that was not shown to any country before.
Asked if DYP had a study in following EU process, Agar said DYP had a special study group, and that this would be improved.
(AY)
2004-12-18