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Turkish F.M. Says Turkey Expects A Fair Decision From E.U.
Anadolu Agency: 11/24/2004

THE HAGUE (AA) - Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said on Wednesday that Turkey expected the European Union (EU) to make a fair and impartial decision (on whether and when to open negotiations with Turkey) in the European Council meeting to be held on December 17th.
     Gul held a joint press conference in the Hague with Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Bot and European Commissioner for enlargement Olli Rehn at the end of the Turkey-EU Troika meeting.
     FM Gul drew attention that Turkey had fulfilled Copenhagen political criteria and the European Commission stressed it in its report.
     On the other hand, Dutch Foreign Minister Bot said that the decision to be made on Turkey on December 17th would be in line of the progress report prepared by the European Commission.
     Noting that Turkey had made serious progress, Bot said that today's meeting was fruitful because they listened to views of Turkey.
     Meanwhile, European Commissioner for enlargement Rehn said that if the EU leaders decided to open negotiations with Turkey on December 17th, they were ready to start the monitoring process without delay.