BRUSSELS 22/3/2005 (ANA/A.Panagopoulos)
Turkey's European road is long and difficult and the European Union attributes particular importance to the respect of principles and values, Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis said after a dinner he hosted for his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Villa Lorraine restaurant here on Monday evening.

Karamanlis also noted that the EU shows that it has no intention of being flexible, hinting in effect at the Union's recent decision to postpone accession talks with Croatia. He also underlined that Greece supported the Turkish government's efforts towards Europe, but stressed that many things need to be done in quite a few sectors.

The two prime ministers' talks focused on Turkey's European course, bilateral relations, the Cyprus issue and also issues regarding the participation of Erdogan's party, as an observer, for the first time, in a European People's Party (EPP) summit here on Tuesday.

Karamanlis, referring to the signing of the Ankara Protocol, which extends Turkey's customs union agreement with the 10, new EU member states -  Cyprus among them -, said that it must be signed before October 3, as decided at the European Council on December 17. He underlined that with regard to bilateral relations the will of the two sides to continue efforts for cooperation in all sectors, particularly in trade, tourism and energy was confirmed.

The Greek premier said that he raised to his Turkish counterpart the issue of Turkish violations over the Aegean, underlining that ''certain activities by Turkey in the Aegean are not compatible with relations of good neighborliness foreseen by the European decisions''.

On the Cyprus issue, Karamanlis reiterated his position that the aim remained the reunification of the island through negotiations on the basis of the Annan plan and in the framework of the European acquis communautaire and the European principles and values. ''Only in this way, all the inhabitants of the island, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, could enjoy all the benefits of European cooperation and prosperity'', he added.

On his part, Erdogan said, regarding Turkey's obligation to sign the Ankara Protocol ''I will not answer you on the exact time. Our experts are working on this matter and when they conclude their work we will proceed and sign it''. On Cyprus he said that the two sides are showing a political will for a solution to the issue and there is willingness by both to solve all the difficulties and proceed into talks.

^
top

print this page   send this page