ANKARA - Supreme Court Chairman Eraslan Ozkaya said on Friday that Copenhagen criteria should be evaluated as the prior target of progressive and modern Turkish society which believed in the rule of law and adopted a pluralist democracy.
Speaking at the ceremony held upon the beginning of the new judicial year, Ozkaya said that Turkey had taken very brave steps in fulfillment of Copenhagen criteria with the legal amendments and structural reforms adopted at the parliament.
Ozkaya went on saying, ''it should be noted that the Copenhagen criteria should be evaluated as the prior target of progressive and modern Turkish society which believe in the rule of law and adopt a pluralist democracy instead of an imposition of Europe. It should be stressed that Turkey has become more advantageous when compared with the other European Union (EU) candidate countries thanks to the laws and structural reforms that have been adopted. Now, there are not any obstacles before opening of full membership talks between Turkey and the EU.''
''There can be structural reforms to be made and social, political and economic laws to be passed in Turkey. However, these cannot be accepted as deficiencies to obstruct opening of full membership talks. It is the most natural right of Turkey to give priority to its national interests and indivisible integrity during its relations with the EU,'' Ozkaya said.
Ozkaya noted that it was time that the EU showed its good will and sincerity by starting full membership negotiations with Turkey without any delays.
Postponement of those negotiations would prove the views and claims that the EU was not sincere about Turkey's membership process, Ozkaya added.
Noting that Turkey was situated on a geopolitically and geostrategically important region, Ozkaya said that possibility of a war among states in Iraq was increasing each passing day.
Ozkaya added, ''there is no doubt that such a war will have social, economic and political effects on Turkey. Protection of Iraq's territorial integrity is of vital importance for Turkey. There is no doubt that Turkish government will take necessary measures.''