Negotiations With E.U. Should Be Launched Without Delay, Sezer

ANKARA (AA) - ''Turkish nation expects the European Union (EU) to launch (full membership) negotiations with Turkey on October 3rd, 2005, i.e. as scheduled and without delay'', Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said on Sunday.
     In his message to mark the ''Europe Day'', Sezer said radical reforms made in Turkey to adjust to meet political and economic criteria required for EU membership.
     Sezer went on saying, ''the goal to become an indispensable part of Europe is the main factor of foreign policy of Turkey, which has political, economic, social and cultural interaction with European countries. Our membership to the European Union will be a significant milestone for achieving this goal.''
     ''In this context, Turkish nation expects the European Union (EU) to launch (full membership) negotiations with Turkey on October 3rd, 2005, i.e. as scheduled and without delay. Nobody should doubt that Turkey will fulfil its responsibilities to carry out negotiations successfully. We expect our European friends to show the same sensitivity, and we hope that the EU will take into consideration our 40 years of relationship when taking action,'' said Sezer.
    
     -TURKEY'S MEMBERSHIP WILL ENRICH EUROPE-
    
     Sezer stressed that Turkey had adopted universal values of the EU, and said that Turkey's EU membership would contribute to Europe's prosperity, security and stability and serve the goal of diversity in the EU.
     Concluding his message, Sezer expressed belief that Turkey-EU relations would enrich the new architecture of Europe, which was being constructed within the framework of the enlargement process.
    
2005-05-08