Gul: Date We Will Get In Copenhagen Will Help Solution Of Cyprus Question

ANKARA - Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said late on Wednesday that a date to be given to Turkey in Copenhagen to open full membership negotiations with the European Union (EU) would help solution of Cyprus question.
Gul responded to questions in a program broadcast at private TGRT channel.
Prime Minister Gul said that Copenhagen summit to take place on December 12 was very important and Turkey had to make use of that opportunity.
Gul noted that they presented EU adjustment bill and a new package to parliament the previous day.
They wanted the two packages to be adopted before the Copenhagen summit, Gul stated.
Gul said that as the government, they fulfilled their responsibilities and that it would be seen that Copenhagen criteria had been fulfilled when people looked at Turkey objectively and with good will.
Noting that he met with German and French ambassadors, Gul said that he told the ambassadors that reform packages had been sent to the parliament and expressed Turkey's sensitivities.
Asked what the best and worst scenarios for December 12 were, Gul stressed that Turkey fulfilled its obligations and went on saying, ''what is important for us is to get a definite date. Turkey has deserved this. We do not want a backward step. It will be difficult to explain any other thing to our people.''
Gul said, ''I have clearly stated them that there is a large group saying that Turkey is a Muslim country and it will not be included to the EU which is like a Christian club. This view is valid not only in Turkey but outside Turkey. If Turkey is not given a definite date, this view will be proved. There will not be a good scene then. If Europe is to become an important center and play an important role in world issues, Turkey will make the EU stronger and it will not be a burden.''
Responding to a question about recent situation in Cyprus, Gul said, ''we are all exerting efforts for a peace. This peace should be satisfactory.''
Gul pointed out that EU's giving a definite date to Turkey in Copenhagen would have positive effect on negotiations on Cyprus and said that they clearly told this to EU officials.
They had some concerns over the plan presented to sides in Cyprus by United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan but those concerns could be settled after discussions, Gul said.
Gul noted that they did not say ''they accepted everything'' but they wanted the solution of the question.
''A date we will get in Copenhagen or a step to be taken by European leaders will help solution of Cyprus question,'' Gul said.
Gul stated that everybody knew that it was not possible to reach a final solution before December 12 and stressed that what was important was to approach to the issue with good will.
Responding to a question asking what U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz and U.S. Under Secretary of State Marc Grossman demanded from Turkey, Gul said that war is not a good thing and they don't want any war to break out.
Gul said that they will work to prevent a war, adding that yet the existance of weapons of mass destruction in a neighbouring country is not a good thing either. Gul said that these weapons are used by Iraq against Iran, adding that they won't forget that.
''Many demands were in question in yesterday's meetings,'' said Gul adding that ''what we tell is that we didn't give a political decision. We didn't make any commitment to anybody. There is the Turkish parliament the public opinion and the views of the public opinion are importarnt. Turkey is not a country which is administered by sultanate or dictatorship. We, as the government has to take into consideration the concerns of the nation while taking decisions. The things that will be done will be done in a democratic country.''
''We didn't tell the U.S. officials that Turkey can help the U.S. only if it gets money in return,'' said Gul and noted that these are not the policies of a powerful state like Turkey.
Responding to a question about amendments in Articles 67,76 and 78 of the Constitution, Gul said that it is by chance that these amendments came to agenda at the same time with the cancellation of elections in Siirt.
''If the elections in Siirt were not cancelled, we would do these things. These are our promises to the nation,'' said Gul.
He added that the problem of head scarf will be sorted out in a appropriate time period within reciprocal understanding, compromise and trust.
Upon a question about the issue of exemption from military service in return of paying money, Gul said that this was not on their agenda at the moment and that it was not correct to say anything about it without taking the views of the National Defense Ministry and Turkish Armed Forces.