Gul: If the EU Fails Us, We’ll Go Our Own Way
Zaman Online, Turkey
Nov 10 2004
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul has said if Turkey doesn’t
receive a satisfactory decision from the European Union (EU) summit
on December 17th, “we’ll leave it alone and go our own way.”
At a Parliamentary Budget Commission for Foreign Ministry meeting,
Gul said the progress report on Turkey released by the European
Commission on October 6th was a great achievement for the country,
but that the Foreign Ministry is continuing its efforts to achieve
an affirmative decision at the December 17th summit.
“At the end, we’ll have done everything in our power. If we are not
satisfied with the outcome, we’ll leave it alone and go our own way.
We never have never said we would enter the EU unconditionally and
agree to everything,” continued the Foreign Minister.
He emphasized it is out of the question to recognize the Cypriot Greek
administration as part of the process. As for the Greater Middle
East Project, Gul said, “This project could have a hidden agenda,
but if we become active in it we can prevent any wrong doings instead
of watching [the process].” The Foreign Minister also reiterated his
wish for normalization in Turkish-Armenian relations.
11.10.2004
Suleyman Kurt