ATHENS, Jan 23 (A.A) - Turkey's Secretary General for European Union (EU) Volkan Vural said on Wednesday that the EU should give Turkey a clear response regarding its full membership.
Speaking at a conference on ''Europe's Future and Turkey'' held in Athens, Greece, Vural said that Turkey's ten-month national programme implementation was successfull.
Noting that this programme had created a new dynamism on path for realization of very comprehensive and economic reforms in Turkey, Vural said that constitutional amendments, new civil code and adjustment laws were examples of a new political culture.
Stating that important steps had been taken also in the economic plan like change of definition of the state and settlement of transparency in public sector, Vural said that the year 2001 had been especially economically difficult year for Turkey but positive steps had been taken in relations with the EU and in removal of structural problems which had caused the economic crisis.
Stressing that Turkey considered itself European with its history, geography and system of values, Vural said, ''the Republic founded by Ataturk is a part of European system of values. Loyalty to this system of values is not denial of Turkey's own identity. With its own identity Turkey has constituted a model where Islam, democracy and the state of law can coexist. The key to this model is the principle of secularism. The importance of this model in a political environment has been understood well and more after September 11.''
Noting that Turkey sincerely wanted EU membership, Vural stressed that the indirect support of the EU to terrorism while it was defending human rights had created suspicions.
Stressing that those factors had negatively affected speed and content of political reform projects in Turkey, Vural said, ''in last fifteen years, we suffered much from separatist terrorism which is given financial support, encouraged and found political atmosphere in Europe. Lastly, the EU did not include the well-known terrorist organizations whose acts have been documented quite comprehensively in the list of terrorist organizations and this created question marks.''
Pointing out that Turkish-Greek relations and Cyprus were among the foreign elements effecting Turkey's EU dossier, Vural said entry of Cyprus to the EU before a solution is found to the Cyprus question would create serious problems. Vural said exclusion of Turkey from the EU perspective may create a negative picture that could have very important reflections.
Vural said there were people believing that EU's interest toward Turkey's candidacy and membership was cosmetic and temporary.
''It is said that main target of the EU was to guarantee Cyprus's entrance to the EU as it needed cooperation of Greece in enlargement process, and that it would lose interest in the membership of Turkey after guaranting Cyprus's entrance to the EU. This is the most unproductive scenerio. This approach will create a non-confidence atmosphere. Particularly, the EU member Greece should prevent other members to play with such kind of ideas. The best scenerio is the EU membership of Greece, Cyprus and Turkey. This may not be at the same time, but this perspective should be clear,'' Vural said.
Underlining that the EU needed a strong east Mediterranean leg, and that this could only be provided with Greece and Turkey which solved their problems, Vural said such a cooperation would make the EU the world power.
During the discussion part of the conference, Vural said that Turkey was receiving confusing sings from the EU which were creating suspicion and stressed that the EU should give Turkey a clear answer regarding full membership.
After Helsinki Summit, Turkish people's support for EU membership was 80 percent according to polls, Vural said and added that this percentage dropped to 51 percent after Nice Summit.
''Let me give you another example,'' he continued. ''Another survey carried out showed that 71 percent of Turks support Turkey's EU membership but 62 percent think that the EU is keeping its doors closed to Turkey. This is a very clear picture. We know Copenhagen criteria and we're working to implement certain reforms. But we should quit discussions such as whether Turkey belongs to Europe geographically and historically or not. This is not a geograpy or a history class. The EU should give a clear answer and Greece can play an important role in this field.''
He stated that starting membership negotiations would speed up Turkey's adjustment process to the EU. Responding to a question, Vural said that the EU so far offered Turkey a very insignificant amount of financial aid.
Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Tasos Yanicis said that Greece would benefit from a modern Turkey which believes in the values and principles of a united Europe.
He said that at the Laeken Summit Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis supported Turkey's participation in the platform which will decide on Europe's future.
Yanicis maintained that this was a historic opportunity for Turkish-Greek relations adding that lack of cooperation between the two countries would create instability and lack of trust in both sides.
Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) Deputy Chairman Aldo Koslowski and Prof. Mete Tuncay from Bilgi University also attended the conference.
TURKEY-EUROPEAN UNION RELATIONS BIBLIOGRAPHY PUBLISHED
State Archives General Directorate has published ''Turkey-European Union Relations Bibliography'' which will provide facilities for people making research related to the European Union (EU).
The bibliography includes the informations on the publications between January 1, 1992 and May 30, 2001.
The bibliography covers 759 books, reports and thesis; 338 notifications; 3,250 periodical articles; 5,659 newspaper articles and 3,044 news items.
''Turkey-European Union Relations Bibliography'' has the quality of continuation of ''Turkey-European Community Relations Bibliography'', the second volume of which was published in 1992.
State Archives Director General Yusuf Sarinay said that the book, which was prepared in a period when Turkey presented its national programme to the EU for the membership to the union, would be beneficial for the people who would make research on the issue.