LEFKOSA (A.A) - 20.07.2002 - Deputy Prime Minister Sukru Sina Gurel said on Saturday that if (Cyprus's) European Union (EU) membership is accepted then this would be Europe's problem rather than Turkey.
Speaking to reporters, Gurel said if the EU continued to take wrong steps regarding the Cyprus issue, it would make the division of the island permanent, enabling Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to advance on their own paths more freely.
Gurel recalled that Turkey had earlier announced that the measures it would take in such a situation would be unlimited.
Gurel noted that they hoped and thought that the EU would not take such a wrong step but if such a step was taken, they wanted everybody to know that Turkey would do the best thing in order to protect its interests and security and safety of the Turkish Cypriots.
They had been expecting the Greek Cypriots to take true decisions for peace on the island for forty years, Gurel said.
Gurel answered foreign reporters' questions in the TRNC where he had come to attend the ceremonies to celebrate the 28th anniversary of the July 20 Peace and Freedom Day.
''There is absolutely no relation between Turkey's EU accession process and efforts for a solution to the Cyprus issue. However, Turkey's EU membership is directly and strictly related with Cyprus' accession to the EU,'' Gurel said.
When asked what Turkey would do if (Cyprus) joined the EU before a solution, Gurel said this would be problem of the EU rather than Turkey because Turkey had always warned its European friends that they should not accept Cyprus's membership with its current situation.
Responding a question about Iraq, Gurel said that Ankara had never joined a movement or action that might destroy peace and tranquility in the region, adding that he believed that the United States would take Turkey's concerns into consideration.
''We have always attributed great importance to territorial integrity of Iraq. Also, we have always respected to sovereignty of Iraq. Turkey will continue to act in line with its national interests, and protection of peace and security both in the region and in the world,'' he said.
Gurel told reporters, ''Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou was among the foreign ministers who congratulated me after my appointment as the new foreign minister of Turkey. Mr. Papandreou and I can hold a meeting in coming months.''
Responding a question about Turkey's full membership to the EU, Gurel said, ''my views about the EU have not changed. I have always defended that the EU full membership is the target and right of Turkey. Because, Turkish people deserve the highest living standards. Also, we have deeper relations with the EU since 1960 than the other candidate countries. I believe that the EU should accept Turkey's full membership.''
''Turkey's Middle East policy has not been changed. Because it was based on historical and cultural ties and on regional facts. Turkey has been defending that the Middle East dispute should reach a fair and lasting solution,'' he stated.
Responding another question, Gurel said that Turkey was one of the members of the international community that recognized independence of Palestine.