ANKARA - AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised the performance of the 58th government, noting that ''the performance of the 58th government which coped with the problems of Turkey in a very difficult time period will always be remembered.''
Addressing his party group meeting, Erdogan said that the 58th government brought respectability to Turkey within a very short time.
''The 58th government dealt with all issues with seriousness and full knowledge and it also brought dynamism to foreign policy,'' said Erdogan.
''An active initiative was taken in foreign policy for the first time and the views of Turkey were expressed in the international platform. Turkey carried out an intensive diplomacy traffic in the process regarding the EU and it took a negotiation date from the EU for membership,'' Erdogan said.
Erdogan pointed out that the 58th government and the prime minister exerted efforts to protect peace more than other countries after Iraqi crisis emerged. While continuing peace efforts on the one hand, the government also took measures to protect the security and future of Turkey, Erdogan said. The government didn't ignore the internal developments on the other hand, Erdogan stressed.
Erdogan ended his words thanking Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and the cabinet members for their successful performance.
(ÖS-AÖ) 11.03.2003