We expect EU to set a date at summit

ANKARA (AA) – Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc left for Hungarian capital Budapest on Tuesday to attend the 16th conference of European Parliament President and Parliament Speakers of Candidate Countries.

Holding a press conference at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport prior to his departure, Arinc said that parliament speakers of the candidate countries to the European Union (EU) and five Balkan countries would attend the conference.

Noting that he would held bilateral meetings with European Parliament President Pat Cox and the other parliament speakers, Arinc said, "during the meetings, I will give information about reform process in Turkey to fulfil the Copenhagen criteria in our EU membership process. I will stress that we expect the EU to set a date at its summit to be held in December of 2004 for opening of accession talks."