"Turkey recorded important progress on its EU path"

Gosses told the A.A correspondent that the government was carrying out positive work on EU criteria.

Stating that there were several things that Turkey should do and one of them was solution of Cyprus issue, Gosses said that the government was willing to find an acceptable solution to Cyprus issue and showed its determination to this end.

Gosses said that the government made a good beginning for getting a date to start membership talks with the EU and stated that work on membership to the union should be carried on without making any concession.

The issue of setting a date to open accession talks with Turkey would be brought onto the agenda during the Netherlands’ term presidency in the second half of 2004.