ANKARA - Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Thursday that everybody was in an effort to get a date for opening of full membership negotiations with the European Union (EU) at the Copenhagen summit.
Gul, who received New Turkey Party (YTP) leader Ismail Cem, said that everybody would see the concrete steps they would take in coming days.
Cem, in his part, said that he paid a courtesy visit to Gul and wished success to both his party and him.
Noting that they would support all initiatives of the 58th government, Cem said, ''we will make our personal contributions to our new government with both our criticisms and proposals.''
Cem noted that he would hold several contacts in Europe in coming days and stated that he would meet with EU Commissioner for enlargement Guenter Verheugen and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana in Brussels.
He wanted to receive information and learn views of Prime Minister Gul about those contacts, Cem said and added, ''of course, we are all working for the benefit of Turkey. All of us are trying to do our best in internal and foreign issues.''
Gul said that he was pleased with Cem's visit and that he wanted to make use of experiences of Cem in foreign policy.
Noting that Cem's visits to Europe in coming days were important, Gul said, ''everybody is in an effort related with the EU. Everybody, we, as the ruling party, Mr. Deniz Baykal, as the leader of the opposition party, Ismail Cem, as the leader of one of the other parties, is exerting efforts by thinking that Turkey can get a definite date in Copenhagen.''
Gul added, ''but, what is important is that as Turkey, we will fulfil our responsibilities. Then, we will make more often calls to the European leaders. Within this framework, we are having meetings to which Secretariat General for the EU, Foreign Ministry officials and Deputy Prime Minister Ertugrul Yalcinbayar are attending. Laws to be passed from the parliament and the administrative initiatives will be listed at the first stage. You will see our concrete steps in coming days.''