Ankara Pleased With Message Given To Verheugen By Grossman

ANKARA (A.A) - 18.07.2002 - Ankara welcomed on Thursday the message given to European Union (EU) Commissioner for enlargement Guenter Verheugen by U.S. State Department Undersecretary Marc Grossman.
Grossman had given the message that ''full membership negotiations with Turkey, which had fulfilled Copenhagen criteria, should be opened'' during his meeting with Verheugen.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Huseyin Dirioz told reporters that they welcomed such concrete statement.
Grossman, who met with Verheugen, informed him about his contacts in Ankara and expressed his view that full membership negotiations with Turkey, which had fulfilled Copenhagen criteria, should be started.
Marc Grossman also noted during the meeting that Turkey's accession to EU would be for the benefit of both the United States and the Union.