ANKARA, March 26 (A.A) - State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli, who also acts as the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), said on Tuesday that there are responsibilities which Europe should undertake as well as the responsibilities Turkey should undertake in the process following Helsinki Summit. ''We sincerely believe that the European Union (EU) would start negotiation process with Turkey this year,'' Bahceli said.
Addressing the group meeting of his party, Bahceli made evaluations about Turkey's membership process to the EU.
Pointing out that the incidents which occurred in Mersin and Istanbul during the Nevruz celebrations clearly revealed the meaning of the issues on which MHP was sensitive, Bahceli said, ''discussions in Turkey regarding change and full membership to the EU are diverted toward a wrong direction as it happened in the past.''
''Those who resist change and development for a long time in Turkey are in fact known supporters of status quo. Now that most of them are revealed as those who support change. Today, under the name of change, they want to impose a new status quo where Turkey's national interests are ignored,'' Bahceli said.
Pointing out that Turkey was important for the EU with respect to its location and field of influence, Bahceli said, ''one of the biggest political-strategic fault lines of Europe passes from Turkey. The experiences recorded till Helsinki Summit provided this fact to become more clear.''
Bahceli said the national program that was put forward by Turkey was realistic, noting that wise and dynamic policies were carried out with determination.
Bahceli said the primary condition for Turkey to contribute to the EU was to integrate its original structure and western dynamics, and noted that, ''we are not talking about a meaningless cultural thesis, we are talking about a realistic political program.''
Pointing out that most of the short term targets in the National Program have been realized, Bahceli said, ''Turkey has revealed its determination to enter the EU. We sincerely believe that the EU will iniate consultation process with Turkey this year.''
Bahceli said today's economic giant EU, has the will not to remain the political drawf as it was often critized in the past. He said the EU will prove this by initiating negotiation process with Turkey.