Vural: Turkish - E.U. Relations Came To A Point Of No Return

ANKARA - Turkey's Secretary General for the EU Volkan Vural said on Friday that Turkish-EU relations came to a point of no return, stressing that, ''this country will be a member after five or seven years.''
Vural addressed 4th meeting of Ankara Young Businessmen Association Business World Platform and evaluated Turkish-EU relations.
Pointing out that current time was the most developed stage of the Turkish-EU relations, Vural said the EU at the same time was in a process in which all political parties, institutions and people approved.
Vural said Ankara Agreement and Customs Union had important contributions in reaching this point, adding that Turkey fulfilled the economic and political criteria in one year.
Stressing that the EU countries did not expect Turkey to make arrangements regarded with political and economic criteria in such a period, Vural said, ''however, we managed to put forward a comprehensive national program.''
Vural said the Enlargement Report did not meet Turkey's expectations, adding that, ''there is a problem of balance in this report. Despite the reforms we made, they did not meet our expectations. Credit had to be given to the reforms we made. We found the report inadequate with respect to vision.''
''The EU enlargement process will continue in the coming years. The timetable they found appropriate for us and our performance did not match,'' Vural said.
Vural said Turkey expected a date to be set in December summit for itself to start full membership negotiations in 2003, stressing that, ''this is our biggest expectation. Those apart from this can not meet our expectations.''
Vural pointed out that the EU was a project comprised of different elements, but a secular project defending togetherness among cultures and religions.
Stressing that Turkey has taken important steps pertaining to membership, Vural said, ''we have only one plan in this sense. Everybody favors starting of full membership negotiations with the EU. Everybody is locked on this target.''
Vural later responded to the questions of ANGIAD members.
When asked there were news reports that a date would not be set for full membership in 2003, Vural said those estimations would not bring any benefit, noting that the important thing was to get prepared for Copenhagen Summit.
Vural said the EU General Secretariat continued its workings in line with the directives of the government, noting that this would continue after elections. Vural underlined that there should not be any concern in this respect.
Stressing that relations between Turkey and the EU came to a point of no return, Vural said Turkey's full membership to the EU was an assurance for the foreign capital. He said there should be economic and political stability for this, adding that fulfillment of this would be possible depending on Turkey's fulfillment of its assignments in time.
Responding another question, Vural said Greece exhibited a supporting attitude, stressing that the issue of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) did not take place among political criteria, but among the issues that would be solved through dialogue.
Vural said among the political criteria, determination should particularly be shown regarded with taking administrative measures in prevention of torture.