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TURKISH MINISTER EXPRESSES "REGRET" AT FRENCH BILL ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Anatolia news agency, Ankara
16 Oct 2006
Brussels, 16 October: "Before expressing my pleasure that French
President (Jacques) Chirac called our Prime Minister (Recep Tayyip
Erdogan), I would like to express the regret I feel over the decision
the French parliament has made," said Turkish Foreign Minister
Abdullah Gul.
Gul, Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja and German Foreign
Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and European Commissioner for
enlargement Olli Rehn held a joint press conference after the Turkey-EU
Troika meeting.
Foreign Minister Gul qualified their meeting as fruitful, and noted
that international developments and Turkey's reforms on the road to
EU were debated in the meeting.
Gul stated that Turkey is determined to eliminate its shortcomings.
"I hope France will not maintain this wrong attitude," he said,
while appreciated EU authorities and French historians who made
"responsible" remarks.
On Cyprus problem, Gul said that Turkey is supporting the proposal
laid down by Acting EU President Finland as it is "constructive".
"Discussions (on Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk, who won the 2006 Nobel
Prize for literature) will end, but a Turk has won this prize and this
will be recorded in history. And this is important for promotion of
Turkey and Turks," he also commented.
On the other hand, European Commissioner for Enlargement Olli
Rehn qualified Finland's proposal about Cyprus as "realistic and
balanced". "As the European Commission, we support it and call on
member states to support it," he stated.
Praising Turkish negotiation team, Rehn emphasized that the negotiation
process is not only a technical but also a political one and underlined
importance of ombudsman and foundation bills.
Rehn expressed expectation that Turkey should implement the additional
protocol to the Customs Union.
Meanwhile, Finnish Foreign Minister Tuomioja said that they will make
public the Cyprus proposal after the parties accept it.
Tuomioja conditioned conclusion of negotiations with Turkey on some
chapter headings during Finland's Presidency on acceptance of Cyprus
proposals. "If this (initiative) is successful, it will be possible
to open negotiations on more chapters," he stated.
Steinmeier also supported Finland's initiatives, and said that
there will be no problems in Turkey's EU membership process if these
initiatives bear fruit.
Anatolia news agency, Ankara
16 Oct 2006
Brussels, 16 October: "Before expressing my pleasure that French
President (Jacques) Chirac called our Prime Minister (Recep Tayyip
Erdogan), I would like to express the regret I feel over the decision
the French parliament has made," said Turkish Foreign Minister
Abdullah Gul.
Gul, Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja and German Foreign
Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and European Commissioner for
enlargement Olli Rehn held a joint press conference after the Turkey-EU
Troika meeting.
Foreign Minister Gul qualified their meeting as fruitful, and noted
that international developments and Turkey's reforms on the road to
EU were debated in the meeting.
Gul stated that Turkey is determined to eliminate its shortcomings.
"I hope France will not maintain this wrong attitude," he said,
while appreciated EU authorities and French historians who made
"responsible" remarks.
On Cyprus problem, Gul said that Turkey is supporting the proposal
laid down by Acting EU President Finland as it is "constructive".
"Discussions (on Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk, who won the 2006 Nobel
Prize for literature) will end, but a Turk has won this prize and this
will be recorded in history. And this is important for promotion of
Turkey and Turks," he also commented.
On the other hand, European Commissioner for Enlargement Olli
Rehn qualified Finland's proposal about Cyprus as "realistic and
balanced". "As the European Commission, we support it and call on
member states to support it," he stated.
Praising Turkish negotiation team, Rehn emphasized that the negotiation
process is not only a technical but also a political one and underlined
importance of ombudsman and foundation bills.
Rehn expressed expectation that Turkey should implement the additional
protocol to the Customs Union.
Meanwhile, Finnish Foreign Minister Tuomioja said that they will make
public the Cyprus proposal after the parties accept it.
Tuomioja conditioned conclusion of negotiations with Turkey on some
chapter headings during Finland's Presidency on acceptance of Cyprus
proposals. "If this (initiative) is successful, it will be possible
to open negotiations on more chapters," he stated.
Steinmeier also supported Finland's initiatives, and said that
there will be no problems in Turkey's EU membership process if these
initiatives bear fruit.