Ankara: Irish PM Ahern meets Turkey’s Erdogan

Erdogan said that he and Ahern exchanged views on bilateral relations, Turkey’s EU process and regional issues including Iraq in the meetings.
Noting that both countries wanted to further increase trade volume between Turkey and Ireland, Erdogan said "we also discussed cooperation in education and double taxation issues in the meetings."
"Ireland will undertake presidency of EU on January 1, 2004. Thus, Mr. Ahern is paying a visit to Ankara on a proper time. I expressed my expectation that support of Ireland to Turkey’s membership process to the union will also continue in the following period and its term presidency of the union," he noted.
Erdogan added, "developments which will provide implementation of reforms in an effective way will also be carried on in 2004. I informed Ahern about these issues."
Irish PM stated in his part, "We held productive meeting like during Mr. Erdogan’s visit to Dublin… We are ready, as EU leader in the future, to support for Turkey’s EU bid… I shoud congratulate Turkey’s assembly on determined efforts in adaptation works for Copenhagen criteria."
Upon a question of Cyprus issue, Ahern said, "I made Mr. Erdogan talk that a permanent solution is possible for Cyprus in scope of UN peace plan."
When asked whether or not U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld’s letter to Erdogan would be made public, Erdogan said, "we are holding meeting with Ahern currently. We have a different agenda. It would be wrong to evaluate policy with the United States now. Foreign Ministry will make a necessary statement on the issue today or tomorrow."