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Turkey Has No Commitment To Recognize Southern Cyprus
Anadolu Agency: 2/23/2005

ANKARA - ''Turkey has no commitment to recognize Southern Cyprus. Turkish side will sit around the table until a fair and permanent ground for peace is elaborated under the UN umbrella,'' Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday.

Speaking at his Justice & Development Party (AKP) group meeting, Erdogan focused on European Union (EU), Cyprus and other foreign policy issues.

Pointing to the importance of preparation of a Constitution in Iraq and elections that would take place by the end of the year, Erdogan said, ''this is very important for the future of Iraq. Rights acquired by the citizens of a country which is our neighbor will also affect us in a positive manner.''

Erdogan said the content of the constitution is also very important, and noted that, ''this constitution should constitute a basis for Iraq's territorial integrity. Ethnic groups should not have supremacy on each other. The constitution should officially register that all riches of Iraq belongs to Iraqi people.''

Erdogan said Turkey supports the territorial integrity of Iraq and the formation of a democratic structure in which all Iraqi people would be represented equally. -TURKEY/EU- On the other hand PM Erdogan said the (Turkish) Parliament worked for two years night and day for EU membership and put a strong will regarding constitutional and legal changes.

''Negotiation process with the EU will start on October 3rd, 2005. This will be a turning point for Turkey,'' Erdogan stated.

Erdogan said a more solid government structure was revealed following elections held in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and congratulated TRNC people and politicians for the democratic maturity shown in elections.

''I believe that everybody including the UN and EU will once again assess the preferences of TRNC fairly, and give up isolationist policies imposed on TRNC,'' he noted.