Gul: We Want A Definite Date From E.U.

COPENHAGEN - Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Thursday that they wanted a definite date from the European Union (EU), stressing that this date should be 2003.
Speaking to reporters following his meeting with Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis, Gul said Turkey fulfilled necessary conditions, and that the EU could not any more say that, ''fulfill those criteria before you come here''.
GUL: ''IT IS OUR RIGHT TO GET A DEFINITE AND OPEN DATE FROM EU''
''We want a definite date from EU and this date should be the year 2003,'' Gul told reporters after meeting with his Greek counterpart Costas Simitis.
Gul said that he had a very sincere and beneficial meeting with Simitis. Noting that Turkey prepared two reform packages and one of them was adopted by the parliament, and the other one would be adopted soon, Gul said that ''we sincerely believe that we fulfilled the conditions that are necessary to fulfill before coming to Copenhagen. We did our homework in a considerable extent. Now the EU can't tell us that 'fulfill the requirements before coming here.' It is our right to get an open and definite date to start accession talks. We wait for it in this respect.''
Prime Minister Gul said that the beginning of the negotiation date should be 2003 and they requested EU leaders to give a definite decision in this issue.
Gul said that they also discussed other issues in the meeting, adding that ''we took up Cyprus issue. Our approach is positive, we certainly want to solve the problem. The solution of this problem should please both sides. But there is an easy way of solving all these issues because we are ready in fulfilling the necessary criteria. Now, we want to enter the EU's house. When we enter there, all the problems will be solved automatically. European identity will be a common identity and the solution of problems won't last long.''
''I would like to reiterate once again, we want a definite date and this date should be the year 2003,'' he said.
SIMITIS: TURKEY'S MEMBERSHIP IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ENLARGEMENT AND STRENGTHENING OF EU
Simitis said that Turkey's European Union (EU) membership was very important for enlargement and strengthening of the union. Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and his Greek counterpart Simitis made a joint press statement following their meeting that lasted for almost one and a half hours.
Simitis said that his meeting with Gul and Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan was positive and they took up Cyprus issue and other issues related with the summit.
Greece welcomed development of Turkey-EU relations, Simitis noted.
Simitis stated that Turkey's EU membership would strengthen the Union and give a new dimension to relations of the Union with other parts of Asia and Arab world.
They would exert efforts for continuation of Turkey-EU relations whatever the decision to be made in Copenhagen about negotiations with Turkey would be, Simitis pointed out.
Simitis said that Turkey would become an EU member when it fulfilled necessary criteria.
Reminding the reporters that Greece and Italy would be the EU term presidents following Denmark, Simitis said that both of those countries attributed importance to improvement of relations with Turkey.
Touching on Cyprus issue, Simitis pointed to importance of this issue not only for Turkey-EU but also for Turkish-Greek relations and said that Cyprus question should be solved.
Simitis hoped that opportunities would be made use of.