ANKARA - President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said on Tuesday that Turkey is ready to join the European Union (EU) as soon as possible and legal and administrative studies concerning this aim will continue in 2003.
Sezer, who issued a message on the eve of the new year, said that the negative approach of Europe in giving a negotiation date in Turkey's membership process will not take Turkey away from its historical purpose and path, adding that eliminating the deficiencies about democracy, human rights and freedoms cannot be correlated with EU's decision about Turkey.
Noting that the plan of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan concerning Cyprus question can be negotiated, Sezer said that he is supporting the continuing of solution efforts appropriate to the date in the plan.
Sezer said that another year was left behind with its sadnesses and joys and a year starts with hopes and expectations, wishing peace, brotherhood, tranquility and happiness for Turkey, world and whole people in 2003.
Noting that important developments were experienced by Turkey and the world in 2002, Sezer said that taking lessons from experienced negative events will save humanity from repeating the mistakes of past.
Sezer said that subjects such as fight against terror and poverty, preventing violence and discrimination, providing universal peace, developing democracy and human rights on every level, adopting and fulfilling sustainable development and protecting environment give joint responsibilities to all countries. He added that Turkey will carry on fulfilling its responsibilities and contributing to the solutions of joint problems of the world as it was so in the past.
Noting that Turkey exerted efforts in 2002 to solve economic problems, Sezer said that they made important progress in improving basic rights and freedoms of people. Sezer said that fulfilling a life that works with an active transparent administration, law state, pluralist democracy, ethic values and free market economy is necessary and added that it is compulsory to carry on reform studies that comprise fight against inflation, just and balanced distribution of tax and continuos growth and increasing production to make the country strong in economy field.
Sezer said, ''entrance of country's economy into growth process again after all those problems is a positive development inspiring our hopes for the future. We have to accelerate economic development by increasing production, productivity and investments to achieve a permanent growth. Even if national income increases, we cannot talk about prosperity and a real development unless injustice in distribution of income and differences among regions in respect of development are ended.''
''In order to talk about a real development, increase in education level, increase of educated and expert labour force and protection of social security of whole population should rank among our priorities. Unemployment is one of our main problems that affect an important part of our society. We have to create new employment fields and find right, realistic and applicable solutions in order to prevent increasing poverty and rehabilitate living conditions of our citizens. We can be successful in fight against corruption by an efficient transparent administration understanding and social reaction,'' Sezer added.
Sezer noted that Turkey had taken significant steps in integration with Europe in 2002 and that a new stage had started in EU membership process.
Turkey's integration with the West was in line with the understanding of enlightenment, Sezer said.
Sezer stated that their target was to carry Turkish society to the level of most developed western societies.
''In this context, Turkey is determined to fulfil requirements of EU membership and join the Union in the possible shortest time. I believe that legal and administrative initiatives launched to achieve this target will also continue in 2003. The negative stance of Europe about giving a negotiation date to Turkey will not distance us from our historical target and path. Our efforts to eliminate shortcomings in human rights, democracy and freedoms cannot be bound to EU's decisions regarding Turkey. Because, Turkey adopted modern values of the west, as a culture and civilization tendency, when the EU did not exist,'' Sezer said.
Sezer pointed out that Maastricht criteria formed a concrete agenda which would make Turkish economy operational in a certain schedule and under a discipline.
Solution process in Cyprus in 2002 was accelerated with direct talks initiated with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas, Sezer said.
Sezer noted that they had always said that Cyprus issue could be solved on basis of realities in the island and that solution formulas which were tried to be imposed from outside had not any chance of success.
''We are trying to help efforts to solve Cyprus issue with a constructive approach. In this context, we think that United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan is negotiable and support continuation of solution efforts in line with the schedule foreseen in the plan. We hope that the year 2003 will be a year in which Cyprus issue will be solved permanently and rightfully and the security and prosperity of Turkish Cypriots will be taken under guarantee on the basis of a new partnership grounded on sovereign equality. Turkey will continue to support TRNC and Turkish Cypriot people also from now on. We want our Turkish Cypriot friends to get rid of unjust embargoes they have endured for years and integrate with international community and Europe. We believe that the EU will also undertake responsibilities and duties in this issue,'' Sezer added.
BELIEVE THAT A PEACEFUL SOLUTION CAN BE FOUND AND DIPLOMATIC WAYS HAVE NOT BEEN EXHAUSTED YET FOR IRAQ ISSUE
Sezer evaluated the developments in Iraq in his new year message. He said that they are careful and sensitive about the possible developments in Iraq and added that they request Iraq to help lifting war threat in the region by abiding by the United Nations (U.N.) Security Council resolutions and Turkey would like the difficulties that Iraq people have been experiencing for years come to an end.
Noting that Turkey believes the superiority of international laws in the relations between states and grounds its foreign policy on that base, Sezer said that the condition of Iraq should be legal and on the base of consensus.
Sezer said that protecting and strengthening peace in the region are among the priorities of Turkish foreign policy.
Noting that Turkey carries on its political and military dialogue with the United States which is Turkey's ally and strategical partner in Iraq issue, Sezer said that they provide easiness in some planning studies which are preparations for a possible military operation that Turkey does not want and that the United States carries on to force Iraq for a cooperation with international community and with the United Nations.
Sezer wished that it should be remembered that Turkey shares a long border with Iraq and has historical ties with the countries and people in the region. He added that Turkey worries about a possible operation of the United States against Iraq and it shares those worries with the United States within the partnership relation that depends on sincerity.
Sezer said that Turkey will take necessary decisions to contribute regional peace and stability by considering firstly its national benefits in every situation.
President Sezer stressed that modernization efforts of Turkey aimed to help citizens benefit from all possibilities of the civilization in a prosperous society.
Turkey had taken an important step in integration with modern world and increase of quality of educational services by increasing basic education to 8 years in 1997, Sezer said.
Sezer noted that eight-year compulsory education was settled in the last five years and adopted by citizens.
One of the prior issues in front of Turkey should be increasing compulsory basic education to 12 years in line with the criteria in European countries, Sezer stated.
Sezer said that such a step would strengthen Turkey in progress race in the world.
Turkey could not be expected to make concessions of principles on which the education system was based on, Sezer stressed.
Sezer said that radical, comprehensive and rapid structural reforms and changes should be continued determinedly.
On one hand steps necessary to improve democracy, human rights and legal state should be taken on the other hand importance should be attributed to efforts to make the economy stable, growing, and transparent, Sezer pointed out.
Sezer said that Turkey would be among the developed world countries in a near future if the reforms were continued in line with the demands and expectations of Turkish people.
Turkey was strong enough to reach that target with its dynamic and young population, resources and possibilities, all public and non-governmental organizations, Sezer noted.
Sezer stated that it would be sufficient to work altogether and in cooperation, have confidence in themselves, and efficiently use all possibilities and sources in order to reach a brilliant future.
President Sezer noted that it was everybody's hope that the year 2003 would be a successful and stable year in which expectations would be met, celebrated the new year and hoped that the new year would bring success, health and happiness to everybody.