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ANKARA: Erdogan: We Want Date For Opening Of Accession Talks With EU

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  • ANKARA: Erdogan: We Want Date For Opening Of Accession Talks With EU

    Anadolu Agency
    July 20 2004

    Erdogan: We Want A Date For Opening Of Accession Talks With E.U.

    PARIS - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday,
    ''Turkey wants a date not for full membership, but for opening of
    accession talks with the European Union (EU).''

    Prime Minister Erdogan, who is currently paying a state visit to
    France, met members of the French Parliamentary Foreign Affairs
    Commission.

    During the meeting, Erdogan informed members of the commission on
    historical development of the bilateral relations between Turkey and
    France.

    Upon a question about Turkey's EU membership process, Prime Minister
    Erdogan said, ''Turkey wants a date not for full membership, but for
    opening of accession talks with the EU.''

    Referring to recent developments in Iraq, Prime Minister Erdogan
    said, ''Turkey has always advocated that Iraq's territorial integrity
    should be protected, and none of ethnical groups in the country
    should be allowed to be dominant over another.''

    Upon a question about so-called Armenian genocide, Prime Minister
    Erdogan said, ''it is an issue with which historians should deal. As
    politicians, we are obliged to build the future instead of discussing
    such issues. Armenian diaspora has been trying to keep the so-called
    Armenian genocide high on agenda. In fact, it is not beneficial for
    Armenia at all. The bilateral relations between Turkey and Armenia
    cannot be improved as long as such campaigns continue. If they put an
    end to their campaign of defamation against Turkey, border gates
    between Turkey and Armenia may be opened.''

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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