Sezer Was Not Pleased With Decision Taken At E.U.'s Copenhagen Summit

ANKARA - Presidential Foreign Affairs Chief Adviser Tacan Ildem said on Saturday, ''the decision taken at the European Union's (EU) Copenhagen summit is far away from being the response to important steps and taken by Turkey to adopt Copenhagen political criteria and to the determination of Turkish society to become a full member of the EU.''
Speaking at a weekly press conference at the Cankaya Presidential Palace, Ildem said, ''the decision taken at the EU Copenhagen summit is far away from being the response to important steps and taken by Turkey to adopt Copenhagen political criteria and to the determination of Turkish society to become a full member of the EU.''
''As you know, Turkey wanted to start accession talks with the EU in 2003, and informed EU officials and member countries on its desire. Turkey has done what is necessary to fulfill Copenhagen political criteria, and achieved a great success in political, social and economic areas. It is undeniable fact that Turkey has completed considerably the process of putting into practice Copenhagen criteria with constitutional amendments and administrative arrangements for implementation of these amendments,'' he said.
Ildem told reporters, ''however, it is certain that Turkey's EU full membership process has entered a new stage as a result of the decisions taken at Copenhagen summit. At Copenhagen, the expression in the final statement of 1999's Helsinki summit that Turkey is a candidate country on the basis of criteria for all other candidates, was reiterated, and an attitude was assumed to strengthen institutional ties between Turkey and the EU.''
Ildem said, ''the final statement released at the end of Copenhagen summit said that accession strategy would be further strengthened with the aim of assisting Turkey to prepare itself for the EU full membership. Turkey's policy about Europe has been continuing for more than a century. After foundation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923 and beginning of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's reforms, Turkey has put forward its preference as modernization. Turkey has been playing active roles in main economic and political institutions of Europe, and undertaken important missions in defense of Europe for more than 50 years. In line with desires and expectations of its people, Turkey will maintain its reform process with a great determination. The EU full membership is only a part of our national plan.''
''As President Sezer said on numerous occasions Turkey's reform process aims at not only becoming a full member of the EU, but also meeting expectations of Turkish people and increasing their living standards. One of our primary targets is to broaden individual rights and freedoms with the most advanced understandings and implementations of our century. On the other side, our efforts will continue to provide economic stability and settle a sound economic structure having power of competition. Fulfillment of EU's Maastrich economic criteria will take place among our primary targets to this end,'' he said.
Ildem told reporters, ''President Sezer believes that relations between Turkey and the EU which started in 1963 and were consolidated with the decision taken at 1999's Helsinki summit, should be further improved by protecting Turkey's national interests. President Sezer was not pleased with the decision taken at the EU Copenhagen summit as the decision did not meet Turkey's expectations. The decision did not surprise President Sezer. Because, President Sezer has already observed the problems in the EU countries during his contacts with heads of state and government of member countries to the EU.''
Recalling that President Sezer attended the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, South Africa, in September after approval of the reform package by the parliament on August 3, 2002, Ildem noted, ''as you know, President Sezer met with EU Commission President Romano Prodi in Johannesburg. During the meeting, President Sezer said that attention of the Turkish people had focused on the EU's Copenhagen summit in December, and expressed Turkey's expectation to get a date in 2003 for opening of accession talks with the EU. In response, Mr. Prodi said that there had been a section in the EU which was not ready for Turkey's full membership. Later, President Sezer held bilateral meetings with President Jacques Chirac of France and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder at NATO Summit in Prague, Czech Republic. During these meetings, this problem in public opinion of Germany and France was confirmed. As the Prime Minister pointed out in his statements, yesterday's decision of the EU was taken on the axis of France and Germany. We are aware of the difficulties of Germany stemming from domestic politics.''
''Actually, EU countries which granted Turkey candidacy status in 1999's Helsinki summit, should have prepared their public opinions to the idea that Turkey would become a full member of the EU sooner or later. When they saw that Turkey has begun making a series of reforms rapidly, they need to ask some questions about Turkey once again. They could not psychologically conform with Turkey's reform process,'' he said.
Tacan Ildem said that President Ahmet Necdet Sezer had believed that the EU would set a date at its Copenhagen summit for opening of accession talks with Turkey in 2003 and been planning to attend the summit. ''The President expressed his intention to attend this summit to the leaders of political parties in the parliament after the general elections on November 3. However, the impression the President got from these meetings was that the EU would not set a date in 2003 so the President stated that it would be more appropriate if he would not go to Copenhagen.''
Noting that there was not a reason for Turkey's deviating from modernization tendency, Ildem said that modernization had been Turkey's main policy since the Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
''The EU represents some values. And these values coincide with our modernization plan,'' Ildem said, and added that it was very natural to take necessary steps to meet Turkish people's expectations and grant them wider individual freedoms and both the President and the government had the full determination to this end.
Ildem said that President Sezer wished that the EU would finish mental and psychological preparations which could catch up with the steps that Turkey had so far taken and was determined to take in the future and he wished the EU would act with common sense to bring Turkey-EU relations to the expected, desired and natural level.
Ildem noted that this was important also for the reliability and persuasiveness of the EU, adding, ''it is also important as this would not intensify the opinions about double-standards and have negative effects on the relations between Turkey and the EU.''
ILDEM: ''THE EU SHOULD HAVE TOLD THE GREEK CYPRIOT ADMINISTRATION THAT MEMBERSHIP COULD NOT BE IN QUESTION BEFORE CYPRUS TALKS DON'T REACH A SOLUTION''
Ildem said, ''Turkey has been defending from the very beginning that beginning of accession talks between the EU and the Greek Cypriot side was a mistake. In fact, the EU should have told the Greek Cypriot side that it could not become a full member of the EU before finding a lasting solution to the Cyprus question. However, the EU did not do that. Those who did not connect solution of the Cyprus question and the Greek Cypriot side's EU full membership in the past, could connect relations between Turkey and the EU and solution of the Cyprus question in the course of time. This is nothing but a contradiction. As President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said earlier, some European Commission officials broke this tie by saying that the Greek Cypriot side would become a full member of the EU whether a solution is reached or not.''
Stressing that while the Greek Cypriot administration was directly a part of the issue, Turkey was not a part of the issue directly, Ildem said, ''however, those who say Turkey would be given a date for negotiations in case of solution of Cyprus issue are in fact in contradiction and do not display a fair approach. When the Cyprus part of yesterday's decision was evaluated and when accession talks started with the Greek Cypriot side, Turkey's attitude was that this decision contradictied with international laws and international agreements regarding Cyprus. And we see it beneficial to evaluate yesterday's result in this way and record it. This is an attitude that contradicts with international laws.''
Stressing that Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) were in favor of solution of the issue through talks, Ildem said, ''and they will continue to do so. The TRNC found the latest plan of U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan discussable and it still has the same opinion. The important thing is that the Greek Cypriot administration which has reached EU membership should display a good will and constructive attitude in talks. Because, if they have unwillingness as they have already obtained membership, this removes solution possibility, of course. We don't want and desire such a thing to happen.''
''What kind of a solution? There was not a change in our opinions about this issue. For us, a solution on basis of a new partnership that protects security, safety and equal status of Turkish Cypriots, Turkey's and the TRNC's strategic interests and the balance between Turkey and Turkish Cypriots is a principle. We wish such a result would be reached,'' he said.
''As you know that Annan's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro De Soto made a statement yesterday. It is expressed that talks between the sides were expected to reach a conclusion by February 28. We have always believed that solution should be reached through talks. And as the Republic of Turkey, we support effrots to this end,'' he added.
ILDEM: ''TURKEY HAS ALWAYS ACCEPTED COMMON-SENSE AS THE BASIS OF ITS FOREIGN POLICY''
When asked, ''some statements were made in the past saying that if the Greek Cypriot side became a full member of the EU, Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) would integrate. Will we put into practice these integration and annexation?'' Ildem said, ''according to my point of view, the word of annexation is not correct. Our government and all high-level authorities will assess the decision taken at Copenhagen Summit in detail. Therefore, you should wait for their statements. Turkey has always accepted cool-headedness and common-sense as the basis of its foreign policy. Turkey has never displayed sudden and unrestrained reactions. Now, we should assess both our relations with the EU and the Cyprus question with the same coolheadedness. Our most important target is to protect Turkey's national interests.''
When asked, ''it seems that December of 2004 is the deadline to find a solution to the Aegean dispute. How should we explain this?'' Ildem said, ''there is a long period till December of 2004. An important rapproachment has been achieved between Turkey and Greece since Helsinki summit in 1999. Many contacts were held between the two countries on technical and political levels. We wish that bilateral problems between Turkey and Greece will be solved through dialogue. In fact, most of the problems between Turkey and Greece will come to an end when the two countries take place in the same bloc. We believe that all these problems will be resolved till December of 2004.''
Responding a question about President Sezer's decision not to attend the EU's Copenhagen summit, Ildem told reporters, ''President Sezer did not take this decision to protest the EU. If the EU had taken a decision to start accession talks with Turkey in 2003, President Sezer would have attended the summit together with ruling and opposition parties. President Sezer planned to attend the summit with representatives of the opposition party in order to give the message that most of Turkish people was in favor of Turkey's becoming a full member of the EU. Upon some negative signals, he decided not to attend the summit. However, as I said before, Turkey's EU full membership process will continue. We will continue to take the necessary steps. We will do this not to satisfy the EU, but to meet expectations of our people. These are the steps to be taken for Turkey's modernization project.''
When asked whether or not Prime Minister Gul had informed President Sezer on developments during the EU's Copenhagen summit, Ildem told reporters, ''the weekly meeting was held at the Cankaya Presidential Palace before Prime Minister Gul left for Copenhagen. During the meeting, Prime Minister Gul told President Sezer that he would brief him on developments in Copenhagen in time. His adviser for foreign affairs called me on the phone continuously and gave information about all developments.''
When asked whether or not President Sezer would meet with President Rauf Denktas of the TRNC, Ildem said, ''as you know, President Sezer paid a visit to President Denktas at the hospital to convey his best wishes. It was a brief visit. It was not appropriate to take up the Cyprus question in such a visit of courtesy. Now, President Denktas has been resting. A meeting between President Sezer and President Denktas can be in question any time.''
When asked whether or not the issue of European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) was solved completely, Ildem said, ''yes. It will emerge as an arrangement meeting our expectations with an exchange of letters on Monday.''
When asked whether or not President Sezer made any assessment about the amendment to the Article 76 of the Constitution, Ildem told reporters, ''the law has not been submitted to President Sezer yet. As you know, the President has a certain period of time to work on the law. I cannot make any statement about a law which has not been examined by the President.