Turkish Press
May 5 2005

Press Review

MILLIYET

GERMAN CHANCELLOR SCHROEDER ASSURES TURKEY OVER EU TALKS DATE

On his second day in Turkey yesterday, German Chancellor Gerhard
Schroeder met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey
must continue with key reforms demanded by the European Union before
accession negotiations can begin as scheduled on Oct 3, Schroeder said
at a joint press conference with Erdogan in Ankara. “Our job from
now on won’t be easy,” Erdogan responded. “There are many things to
be done in terms of implementation. Turkey has embarked on a path
and it will continue with decisiveness on this path.” The German
chancellor urged Ankara to sign the protocol extending its Customs
Union to 10 new EU members including Greek Cyprus. He also assured
Turkish officials that the EU was determined to start talks with
Ankara on Oct. 3. “The EU won’t postpone accession talks because such
a strategic decision can’t be swayed by changing opinion polls or a
possible French rejection of the EU Constitution,” he stressed. He
also announced that he backed Erdogan’s proposal to create a joint
Turkish-Armenian commission to study the so-called Armenian genocide
allegations. Schroeder also reiterated Brussels’ demand that Turkey
expand the freedoms of its non-Muslim communities. “Religious freedom
is a main principle of the EU,” Schroeder said. “People should freely
practice their religions.” For his part, Erdogan said that there
had been no direct request from Schroeder to allow the reopening of
the Heybeliada Seminary. In addition, the German chancellor was also
received by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and met with Fener Patriarch
Bartholomeos and attended the Turkish-German Economic Congress.
/Milliyet/