U.S. Requests EU to Support Turkish Government

In a meeting with EU Commissioner for Enlargement Gunther Verhaugen and High Representative Javier Solana, Weston explained that the Turkish government has displayed a strong will for reform and that it should be supported by the EU. In comments to Zaman, Weston said that the U.S. stance remains unchanged regarding Turkey-EU relations and that the US supports strengthening of Ankara-Brussels relations. Weston added that EU officials welcomed the support message and accepted the fact that Turkey should be supported.

Following the meeting with Verheugen and Solona, Weston answered questions from a small number of invited journalists, explaining that it would be in the best interest of Turkey for a solution in the Cyprus issue to be reached before the Greek Cypriot Side’s EU membership date, set for May 1 2004. Weston pointed out that the new Turkish government has a strong will to resolve the Cyprus issue, a sharp contrast with previous governments. Weston also stated that the U.S. supports the package announced by the EU last week and that Turkish Cypriot Side should accept it.

In response to a journalist’s question concerning the Cyprus talks that collapsed only 3 months ago, Weston said that he was traveling to Ankara satisfied that he had received positive signals from a portion of the Turkish state.

Meanwhile, in a letter written to his diplomatic counterpart, Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Gul, United States Secretary of State Colin Powell expressed his support of Gul’s "Democratization in Islamic Countries", conveyed during the recent meeting of the Islamic Development Organization meeting.

Selcuk Gultasli / Brussels / BELGIUM