Straw Calls Gul To Assure Him About E.U. Process

MANAMA - British Secretary of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs Jack Straw called Turkish Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul on Monday, assuring him that negotiations between Turkey and the EU would start on October 3rd.
According to diplomatic sources, Straw told Gul that they did not agree with arguments in France over Turkey's EU membership.
Meanwhile, Gul reiterated that Turkey was determined to preserve its reform process.
Gul added that they would maintain their preparatory efforts for opening of negotiations with the EU on the basis of the Treaty of Nice.