KARLOVY VARY, March 8 (A.A)- President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said on Friday that Turkey acted with the principle ''Peace at Home, Peace in the World'' noting that Turkey could of course both enter the European Union (EU) and set up good relations with Russia and Iran.
Sezer responded to the questions of reporters in Karlovy Vary city in Czech Republic where he visited the house where Ataturk stayed.
When asked how he evaluated the statements of National Security Council (NSC) Secretary General Gen. Tuncer Kilinc, Sezer said, ''with Ataturk and since Ataturk, we adopted the principle of Ataturk 'Peace at Home, Peace in the World''. We want to have good relations with our neighbors in foreign policy. We say this is not only beneficial for us but also beneficial for our neighbors and the region. To this end, it is not right to put forward a view 'setting up relations with Iran and Russia have drawbacks'. I mean, we can of course both enter the EU and set up good relations with regional countries Russia and Iran. We are considering Russia as a country we may set up cooperation, not as rival.''
Responding another question, Sezer said negotiation process would start when Turkey fulfills EU criteria and political criteria in legal field. ''When our full membership is in question, then we will sit and discuss whether or not our national interests require EU.''
When asked about his views on capital punishment, Sezer said death penalty could be excluded from the laws without a need for a constitutional change.
''A rule was brought to the constitution that death penalty could not be given apart from cases of crimes of war and terrorism. Under the previous criteria of the EU, death sentence could be given for war crimes....The government partners will take a decision on this.''
About broadcast in broadcast in Kurdish, Sezer said that education and broadcast in Kurdish language were different things although sometimes they are regarded as the same concept.
''Article 42 of our Constitution clearly states that education can only be done in the official language and article 3 states what the official language is. Therefore education in another language is out of question under our Constitution. But broadcast in another language would be decided by the government. Then we'll also express our views,'' he said.
During his visit of the house where Ataturk stayed in Karlovy Vary, Sezer requested from the owner of the house to preserve the house as a historical monument. The owner of the house said Ataturk left the house on July 28, 1918 to return to Istanbul to fight the enemy.