Erdogan Says They Visited 14 Capitals To Show Their Determination, Will, And Promise

ANKARA - Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that they visited capitals of 14 countries before the European Union (EU) Copenhagen summit to show their determination, will and promise.
Speaking at the group meeting of his party, Erdogan said that Turkey was a part of Europe and there was a European project on the basis of the Republic.
Erdogan noted that Copenhagen criteria were in compliance with Turkey's targets and EU membership was the main preference of Turkish Republic.
However, some countries ''which Turkey took the risk of dying together'' were not positive towards Turkey's EU membership, Erdogan stated.
Erdogan said that they had known that Copenhagen summit would be a critical summit for Turkey.
They visited 14 EU member countries except Austria before the summit, Erdogan pointed out and said that they had a busy contact and diplomatic traffic.
They put forth a national attitude thanks to positive approach of non-governmental organizations and the media that accompanied him during those visits, Erdogan said.
Erdogan noted that they did not want any special treatment from anybody related with EU issue, adding, ''we have not assumed the understanding that others should ignore our deficiencies.''