GREECE
Our efforts to establish a belt of peace, stability and prosperity
around us is continuing unabated. In
accordance with our peace oriented foreign policy, we are willing to
maintain good relations with Greece based on friendship and
cooperation, as it is the case with other neighbouring countries.
We believe that existing problems between
Turkey and Greece can be resolved through dialogue, without excluding
any means of peaceful settlement that the parties mutually agree upon.
As two members that would share the same values and ideals within the
European Union in the future, we hope that these problems which hamper
the development of our relations can be resolved.
We believe that the development of friendly
relations on the basis of the principles of mutual respect and trust
between Turkey and Greece will also reflect positively in our region.
We are determined to further the ongoing
dialogue process with Greece through established channels and to expand
this process to new fields of cooperation.
CYPRUS Last year considerable effort has been
invested in the resolution of the Cyprus question. We praise the
determination of the Turkish Cypriot people under the leadership of
H.E. Rauf Denktas, President of the Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus, to safeguard their rights and to attain an equal and sovereign
status. Developments have shown that it is not
possible to find a lasting settlement on the island by disregarding the
existence of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. We hope that this
reality will soon be accepted by the European Union as well as the
international community. We hope that the
initiatives made by the Turkish Cypriot side and the constructive
proposals put forward by President Denktas will help overcome the
existing mistrust on the island, contribute to the normalization of
relations and facilitate efforts towards a fair and lasting settlement
on the island. EUROPEAN UNION In the
context of our foreign policy orientations, our full membership to the
European Union is a priority. The ongoing
reform and transformation process that will contribute to the
realization of our European Union membership derives its strength from
the legitimate expectations of our nation and the philosophy of
attaining contemporary civilization, which is the guiding principle of
our Republic. Common political, economic and
strategic interests establish a strong bond between Turkey and the
European Union and constitute a major element among others, which give
a momentum to our membership process. The
comprehensive work that our full membership to the European Union
requires is carried out in a determined and harmonious way with the
contribution of all the institutions of our state.
All these reforms conform with the demands and
expectations of the Turkish nation regarding the adoption of
contemporary values and criteria in the fields of democracy, rule of
law and human rights. It is particularly pleasing that these reforms
are put into practice through wide political and social support.
We are aware that the effective implementation
of the reforms and harmonization efforts and the adoption of necessary
measures to monitor the implementation process, will determine the
initiation of our accession negotiations.
Furthermore, it should not be forgotten that the relations between
Turkey and the European Union are reciprocal. In this process, it is
important that the European Union also fulfils fully and on time its
commitments towards Turkey. The Turkish nation
rightfully expects the decision to start accession negotiations to be
taken at the latest by the end of 2004, following the final assessment
to be made in 2004. Europe, where democracy
and the rule of law reign, and where there is peace, prosperity and
security, as dreamt by those foresighted statesmen who laid the
foundations of the European Union, will be further strengthened by
Turkey's accession to the European Union.
Turkey, which has been a part and parcel of the European system for
centuries, has been in constant cultural and social interaction and has
developed strong ties with European States, has continued to progress
in the direction drawn up by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of our
Republic and has consequently become an integral part of contemporary
Europe. There is no doubt that our European Union membership will
further consolidate this unison. With this understanding, we support
our European Union membership with strong terms.
Turkey's full membership to the European Union
should be realized. We believe that our
membership to the European Union means sharing a peaceful, stable and
bright future with our European partners, a future based on common
universal values. We consider our membership to the European Union as a
stage that confirms the fundamental philosophy of the Republic of
Turkey and Atatürk's vision for the future.
Our objective towards full membership to the European Union constitutes
an indivisible part of Turkey's strategic vision. European Union is the
biggest modernization vision for Turkey since the establishment of the
Republic. In the 21st century, Turkey will
become a respected country that produces at global standards;
distributes income equally; protects human rights; realizes the rule of
law and achieves participatory democracy and freedom of thought through
attaining the highest levels of culture and civilization.
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