Derya Sazak Milliyet, Turkey, December 10

The Guardian – United Kingdom
Dec 13, 2004

“The European parliament will convene on December 14 in Strasbourg,
just three days before the December 17 EU summit, to approve a
decision to start membership talks with Turkey. The importance of this
decision in terms of the leaders’ summit is symbolic . . . not
binding. However, a majority of votes favouring Turkey might sway
European public opinion . . . However, if there’s disagreement among
the leaders concerning the nature of Turkey’s membership or a date for
talks, the problem will likely be left to the European
commission. Ankara wouldn’t want EU leaders to push the buck to the
commission. This is a worst-case scenario, and Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan would freeze the EU process . . .

“Obviously everything won’t end with the beginning of our talks. In
Brussels we might face shocks: demands to de facto recognise the
‘Cyprus Republic’, to find a democratic solution to the Kurdish issue,
and to improve relations with Armenia. Everybody in the European
parliament is saying different things.”