Toskay: It Was Obvious That Nobody Would Give Anything To The Other With Three-month Campaigns

ISTANBUL - State Minister Tunca Toskay said on Tuesday that it was obvious that nobody would give anything to the other with three-month campaigns.
When a reporter said that the news leaked out to the press related with European Union (EU) Progress Report on Turkey said that the report did not mention any date for beginning of negotiations with Turkey and asked about probable attitude of Turkey in case of a negative decision was made at Copenhagen Summit, Toskay said, ''some politicians and media seriously said that a date would be set immediately and we would undoubtedly be a full member if we exerted some efforts. We also saw similar things when Customs Union negotiations were under way in 1995. And, we said those days that important issues related with future of Turkey should not be made a tool for internal politics. When you act that way, you will not have a power to bargain abroad. And, you cause some unrealistic expectations in the society.''
Toskay noted, ''it could have been noted that a definite date would not be given in this report. In my opinion, we should consider this development as a credit to those who are still making this issue a matter of political bargaining in Turkey till the November 3 elections. Elections will end and then, they will say that they will not give any certain date on December 12.''
A probable operation on Iraq would have a negative impact on economic and political relations with Iraq and other neighbors, Toskay stated.
Toskay went on saying, ''a hot clash in the Middle East will make Turkey's borrowing chance difficult in the middle of the region. It will increase interest rates. When interest rates increase, then we will face some problems in repayment of internal and external debts. We can add problems in tourism. When there is a hot clash in the Middle East, Turkey will economically be affected.''
''Here is another issue. When you pull one of the stones in the region and play with one of the variables in the region, it will bring forth many new developments. You cannot know what the result will be. It will be very difficult to settle stability and balance in the Middle East again,'' Toskay said.
Upon a question on foundation of a Kurdish state, Toskay said, ''when a movement starts in a region, it will cause new reactions. To this end, Middle East is a very sensitive place. We are stating that stability and balance in the Middle East should not be deteriorated since the very beginning.''
The two main principles of Turkey's policy is the solution of problems in the Middle East without causing any hot clashes and protection of territorial integrity of Iraq, Toskay added.