Gul: Our Government Is Determined To Maintain Reforms

LUXEMBOURG - Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said on Tuesday, ''our government is determined to maintain the reforms.''
At the end of the meeting of Turkey-the European Union (EU) Associate Partnership Council, Gul held a joint press conference together with Minister for European Affairs Tassos Gianitsis of current EU Term President Greece and EU Commissioner Guenter Verheugen.
Speaking at the press conference, Foreign Minister Gul said, ''our government is determined to maintain the reforms. The government has the necessary support at the parliament to maintain the reforms.''
Noting that Turkey would make its ''homework'' about the EU membership process, Gul called on the EU to fulfill its responsibilities and not to delay opening of accession talks with Turkey.
Responding a question, Gul stressed that Turkey attributed great importance to settlement of stability in Iraq and representation of all ethnic groups in the new administration.
Highlighting importance of equal use of Iraq's natural resources by Iraqi people, Gul said, ''the region urgently needs stability. We hope that transition period would last short and civil administration will be formed soon.''
Responding another question, Gul said, ''weapons of mass destruction poses a serious jeopardy. It is necessary to eliminate weapons of mass destruction in all countries in the region. Meanwhile, there is not any evidence about Syria's having weapons of mass destruction. However, the United States has a better intelligence regarded with this country.''
Gul also called on neighbors of Iraq and the other countries in the region to act more reasonably and not to create a new crisis.
Meanwhile, Giannitsis eulogized Turkey's policy about Iraq.
Giannitsis expressed the EU's satisfaction over Turkey's policy about Iraq.
He said that the EU's future role in Iraq after the war was taken up at the meeting.
Giannitsis said that if the Cyprus question was resolved, the Greek Cypriots would not constitute an obstacle in front of Turkey's full membership.
Meanwhile, Verheugen said that they appreciated Turkish government's making reforms in human rights and democracy.
He called on Turkey to fulfill political criteria till the end of 2003.
Expressing their full confidence in Turkish government about making the reforms, Verheugen said that there was an appropriate political atmosphere in Turkey to complete the reform process.
Noting that the process aiming at finding a solution to the Cyprus question did not come to an end despite membership of the Greek Cypriot side, Verheugen asked the sides to support initiatives of the United Nations.
When asked whether or not membership of the Greek Cypriot side would constitute a problem about Turkey's EU membership in the future, Verheugen said that he did not suppose so.
(UK-AY) 15.04.2003