MILLIYET- Columnist Derya Sazak writes on the expectations of the public from the leaders’ summit to take place in Cankaya. A summary of his column is as follows:
Today the Cankaya Presidential Palace is hosting the political party leaders’ summit. The leaders called together by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer will discuss the last steps to be taken on the road to Turkey’s EU membership bid at the Parliament. The voice of civil society heard before the summit holds promise for the future. The joint declaration by 175 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) sent the message that we must make haste to join the EU. “Turkey is now closer to the EU goal than it has ever been. At the European Union summit to be held at the end of the year, either a date for accession negotiations with Turkey will be set or our membership bid will be postponed indefinitely. Turkey’s place is in the EU. We have no time to lose.’ The declaration was signed by people representing every sector of society, and they said that as individuals they saw the future of the Turkish people in the EU. One deputy, former head of the Turkish Confederation of Revolutionary Workers’ Union (DISK) Ridvan Budak, yesterday stated in Parliament that the ‘European social model’ which forms the basis of the EU, had become an indication of prosperity in addition to being a standard for democracy. He gave the examples of Spain, Greece and Portugal, which quickly advanced after they became EU members. The EU is a project for the future in all respects. We have to force Brussels to take Turkey, which defended the West for 40 years as a wing country of NATO, into the expanding Europe after Romania, Bulgaria and even Russia. However, we have to see that the road to Brussels passes through Ankara. That is why today’s summit is so important. There is no need to pass the ball to the EU by saying that it will not accept Turkey anyhow. It is not clear what the leaders will say during the summit. Ciller is trying to use the prime minister’s illness as an excuse and Bahceli is working to make Ocalan a campaign issue. We hope that Cankaya summit will not be a stage for narrow- minded calculations. A compromise on the EU issue is also important for the continuance of the government. The ANAP and the MHP are voicing diverging opinions. The public is waiting for new legal arrangements which will ensure the working of the Parliament in June. There is no time to lose!
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION