ATHENS - Former President Suleyman Demirel warned on Saturday that there could not be peace in Europe in case the Balkans is left aside from the European Union (EU).
Demirel, who addressed ''Balkan Policy Club'' meeting, Demirel described the EU as the biggest peace project of history, and presented a vision of united Europe including Balkans.
Warning that there could not be peace in Europe in case the Balkans is left aside the EU, Demirel said, ''I am not threatening anybody by saying this.''
Demirel said 10 countries would be member of the EU in 2004 and that two others would be EU members in 2007, stressing that, ''we hope that candidate country Turkey will start consultations at a date that would be determined on December 10-12, and will be a full member of the Union not after 2010. Thus number of members will be 28. Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Yugoslavia, and Albania will be a member of the EU in the near future.''
Pointing out that the world could not get rid of the shock, uneasiness and concerns caused by terrorist attacks targeting the United States on September 11, 2001, Demirel said, ''togetherness in the world should be continued to make the 21st century a century of freedom, not terrorism.''
Demirel said seven more countries were accepted as members to NATO during the summit held in Prague in November 20-21, stressing that NATO, which is a big security project, completed geographical integrity of NATO.