ANKARA/KAYSERI - Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Wednesday that the European Union (EU) was bewildered by the performance of Turkey because the European leaders did not expect such a performance from Turkey.
Responding to questions of reporters, Gul said, ''I think that Turkey will get a date to open accession negotiations because Turkey has really fulfilled its obligations. If our government had taken the steps it has taken in the last three weeks six months ago, it could have got a date in 2003 without any doubt and everything would have become definite. But, all the initiatives have been made despite a lateness.''
Gul noted, ''European leaders were expecting something opposite. They thought that we would be a little bit far away from Europe. But, they saw an opposite behavior. Our EU movement which started before the elections became concrete after the elections. European leaders are really bewildered. This is the real reason of today's frame which occurs as uncertainty. But, if the European leaders have a big capacity and their horizon is wide, they have to overcome this bewilderment and give a right decision in Copenhagen. If they do not admit Turkey, this means that they will prefer a narrow Europe and they will prefer a Europe like a Christian club.''
''This will make EU unattractive in the future. Even, the EU will turn into a union which is dealing with its own problems. Turkey's accession will be beneficial for not only Turkey, but also the EU,'' Gul said.
Upon a question, Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that the package which was adopted by the coalition government on August 3 was an important success, adding that ''they were really serious steps, we must accept this fact. We brought these two packages about EU issues and we are preparing the third one today. We will submit it to the parliament soon. If the things done by the previous governments were completed, we would have recorded more success today.''
Prime Minister Gul reiterated that Turkey did the things necessary for its membership, adding that ''we fulfilled the conditions of the club which we want to join. Now we say with great encouragement that we will enter the EU. I always tell Europeans that 'there is a new leadership understanding in Turkey and the new political leadership acts honest and brave. I request them to analyze well our new style in political leadership and to give a correct decision. It will be wrong us to keep us waiting because if this is the case, we won't be then as enthusiastic as today. We wait for the year 2003, by when the EU has 15 member states for getting a date. Before admission of new members to EU, this issue has to be cleared out.''