Hadra: Turkey Should Continue Relations With Arab Countries

Anadolu Agency
Dec 22 2004

MERSIN (AA) – Turkish-Arab Businessmen Association Chairman Mehmet
Hadra said on Saturday that Turkey, who got a date from the European
Union (EU) to start full membership negotiations, should continue
relations with Arab countries.

Hadra told a press conference that the target of their association
was to improve trade as well as cultural and art relations between
Turkey and Arab countries.

Meanwhile, commenting on Turkey’s getting a date from the EU
for membership negotiations, former Parliament Speaker Husamettin
Cindoruk said, “yesterday’s result is neither a success nor failure.
Getting October 3rd, 2005 is an acquisition.”

Addressing a seminar, Cindoruk said, “the EU neither accepts us nor let
us go. EU will make a decision according to the performance of Turkey.”

Cindoruk said there were two difficulties in agreement reached with
the EU. “One in negotiations’ being ‘open-ended’ and the second is
the Cyprus issue.”

Cindoruk defended that Turkey could not start negotiations if Ankara
Protocol is not signed till October 3rd, 2005.

Sinan Aygun, the Chairman of Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO), said
when the newspaper headlines were considered, this was seen as a
success, but that it was not definite what would be brought in front
of Turkey till October 3rd, 2005.

Defending the word derogation as “limitation, prohibition”, Aygun said
Turkey would meet various limitations even if it becomes an EU member.

Aygun said Cyprus issue was a “question mark”, stating that, “it
is not definite what will be brought in front of us till October
3rd. Armenian issue, ecumenicalism, opening of Armenian border pass,
and allegations on Armenian genocide were not brought onto the
agenda. We can not know that would be asked from us from now on.”

Zafer Caglayan, Chairman of Ankara Chamber of Industry, said the
decision to start full membership negotiations with Turkey till October
3rd, 2005 was pleasing, stating that, “today is a new starting for
Turkey. However the efforts actually start today.”

Caglayan said Turkey entered a new period from now on, noting that all
sections of the society should undertake important responsibilities
from now on.

Meanwhile, the Motherland Party (ANAP) Headquarters issued a statement
and said a success was made in “making concessions” during the December
17th summit.

The statement said the demands, which have not been asked from any
country since the foundation of the EU, was imposed to Turkey.

Recalling that in the previous statements of Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah
Gul, it was reported that a negotiation process would be taken without
any condition and that Cyprus issue would never be brought onto the
agenda, the statement said, “we think that Mr. Erdogan does not
accept those as condition.”

Dogu Perincek, the leader of Labor Party, said the commitments made
by the government would not bind Turkey.

Perincek told a news conference at his party center in Istanbul
that, “we do not recognize the commitments made by the government.
We announce to the whole world that those commitments would not
bind Turkey.”

Mehmet Agar, the leader of the True Path Party (DYP) said, “we
consider the point that was reached as positive for continuation of
the EU process.”

Agar told a news conference that EU presented opening of full
membership negotiations with Turkey as a favor, stating that Turkey
was exposed to a treatment that was not shown to any country before.

Asked if DYP had a study in following EU process, Agar said DYP had
a special study group, and that this would be improved.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress