SEZER, ECEVIT AND CEM MARK EUROPEAN DAY
Important messages came from the top of Turkey’s government concerning the nation’s target of EU membership on May 9 European Day. During a dinner for ambassadors in Ankara, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer emphasized Turkey’s determination to completely fulfill the Copenhagen criteria and requested a timetable from the EU by the end of the year to start membership negotiations. “The EU’s determining a date to start negotiations will accelerate the reforms that we are continuing with determination,” Sezer said. “Obviously the process of negotiation will serve as an encouraging factor in terms of the steps being taken by Turkey. The European nations’ structure, which is based on democracy, human rights, the rule of law and prosperity, will gain much from the entry of Turkey into the Union.” Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit celebrated Europe Day with a written announcement issued from his home, where he is recovering from a recent illness. Remarking that Turkey was taking further steps to deserve full EU membership, Ecevit stated, “It is our debt to ourselves to eliminate our shortcomings.” Remarking that the Turkish nation had been European for many centuries, Ecevit added, “It is not only European, but also Eurasian, Middle Eastern, Caucasian, and Mediterranean and from the Black Sea. The Turkish nation is also making great contributions to the concept of ‘being European’ with our richness deriving from geography and history.” In addition, speaking to news channel NTV, Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said that the death penalty should be abolished in Turkey and that no “half measures” on the issue would be sufficient. /Cumhuriyet/

EU OFFICIALS URGE TURKEY ON REFORM FOR EUROPEAN DAY
May 9 European Day was celebrated in Turkey yesterday by domestic political figures along with EU country ambassadors and politicians as well as scholars at various panels and conferences. The EU ambassadors stressed that Turkey should as soon as possible complete reforms for its membership bid. European Commission Turkey Representative Karen Fogg spoke at a conference held at Ankara’s European Communities Research and Development Center, saying that Turkish people should feel themselves as European and that Turkey’s future lies in Europe. Spanish Ambassador to Turkey Manuel de la Camara told a panel held at Motherland Party (ANAP) headquarters in Ankara that Turkey should implement reforms for its EU accession. /Cumhuriyet/

CEM: “THE BALL IS IN THE EU’S COURT NOW”
Speaking at a symposium yesterday, Foreign Minister Ismail Cem stated that Turkey has done what the European Union had asked it to do for full membership. “The EU told us to adopt the Copenhagen Criteria and we have done so, now the ball is in their court,” Cem remarked at a symposium organized by the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO) to mark May 9, Europe Day. Cem also said that the EU constituted a plan and design which would determine the future of Turkey and all of Europe. “It is Ankara’s goal to become a leader country between Europe and Central Asia by means of its EU membership,” Cem added. /Cumhuriyet/

YILMAZ: “TURKEY MUST WAKE UP FOT ITS EU ACCESSION”
Deputy Prime Minister and Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz declared yesterday that EU accession was a national policy which Turkey could not possibly abandon. Speaking at a panel held at his party’s headquarters to mark May 9 European Day, Yilmaz stated that certain domestic circles were still stubbornly resisting integration with the EU. “If we can’t integrate with the EU in the near future, not only our future, but also our children’s will be lost. It is time to wake up,” Yilmaz said. He also called upon the EU to give up its policy of making Turkey “wait at the door,” resisting its membership bid. /Turkiye/

ECEVIT, CILLER DENOUNCE REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS MAP
Regarding a recent map posted by private group Reporters Without Borders in a Paris Metro station, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said yesterday that the French government should “cleanse its country from that shame as soon as possible.” A statement issued by the Office of the Prime Ministry said that the inclusion of Turkey and Chief of General Gen. Staff Huseyin Kivrikoglu’s photo on a map showing countries where freedom of the press is suppressed, with photos of the leaders allegedly responsible for this supposed lack of freedom, constituted “ugly and disrespectful behavior” towards Turkey. Meanwhile, True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller also condemned the map, saying that it was an insult to Turkey and to its honorable chief of General Staff. She called upon the government to not waste any time in making necessary initiatives to the French government to address the matter. /Turkiye/

DENKTAS INVITES ECEVIT TO TRNC
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, who was treated in the hospital last weekend for an intestinal infection, will reportedly soon travel to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in order to rest and relax. TRNC President Rauf Denktas reportedly called Ecevit before he left the hospital and gave him get-well wishes and invited him to Northern Cyprus to rest. Although there is not yet any official announcement concerning such a journey, the Turkish Embassy in the TRNC has started preparations for Ecevit’s possible visit. Ecevit stayed at home yesterday and is expected to rest until Monday. However, Ecevit said yesterday that he wanted to meet with Denktas, who arrived in Ankara yesterday for a visit. Ecevit also doesn’t want to postpone his trip to Pakistan and Afghanistan currently scheduled for May 23-25. /Hurriyet/

IZGI PAYS ECEVIT GET-WELL VISIT
Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi yesterday visited Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit at his home. When leaving Ecevit’s house, Izgi told reporters that he had given get-well wishes to the PM. Izgi said, “Ecevit is quite well and there is no need to spin new scenarios.” /Sabah/

EP PRESIDENT: “A UNITED CYPRUS SHOULD JOIN THE EU”
European Parliament President Patrick Cox said yesterday that a united Cyprus should join the European Union, adding that he was hopeful on reaching a solution to the Cyprus problem in order for both sides to join the EU together. Cox yesterday met with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas in the Turkish north after visiting the island’s Greek south. /Cumhuriyet/

TUSIAD CHAIRMAN SPEAKS ON TURKEY’S EU ACCESSION
The Turkish Association of Industrialists and Businessmen (TUSIAD) yesterday celebrated Europe Day, the anniversary of the establishment of the EU, with activities called “Youth and European Day” in Istanbul. Speaking at these activities, (TUSIAD) Executive Board Chairman Tuncay Ozilhan said, “If Turkey cannot get a date for full membership negotiations by the end of the year, it could well break off from the EU during its accession and be left alone.” Remarking that such a situation would negatively affect the economy and the process of structural reform, Ozilhan added, “The indefiniteness concerning the nation’s EU membership accession is blurring Turkey’s plans for the future and making the current uneasy situation that much harder.” /Hurriyet/

DERVIS: “TURKEY’S GROWTH IS GOOD FOR GREECE”
The winds of peace blowing between Turkey and Greece are also being felt in the two countries’ economies. Visiting Greek Economy Minister Nikos Christodoulakis and Turkish Economy Minister Kemal Dervis held talks yesterday about concrete steps which would move the countries’ economies into closer cooperation. Dervis told reporters that the visiting Greek minister had proposed a trilateral cooperation in which Italy would also participate. If this is achieved, he said, there would be more competition in the energy field on the European market. Dervis continued: ”Our real economic cooperation can be achieved by the private sectors of both nations. As this cooperation increases, the growth of the Greek economy would be beneficial for Turkey, and Turkey’s growth would be beneficial for Greece. Economics describes this concept as the ‘neighborhood effect’.” /Sabah/

CB FOREX RESERVES REACH RECORD HIGH
Foreign exchange reserves of the Central bank increased by $178 million during the week of April 26–May 3, the bank announced yesterday. The reserves reached a record high from $22.21 billion to $22.39 billion. The CB began to buy forex heavily in April and continued to do so last week. /Hurriyet/

SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION