CZECH REPUBLIC: Turkish PM Erdogan meets Czech PM Topolanek in Prague

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with his Czech counterpart Mirek Topolanek on his first official visit to Prague on Thursday (November 15). Discussions between the Turkish and Czech delegations centred on the relationship between the two countries and Turkey's bid for accession to the European Union. "Another form of connection (with the European Union) cannot replace the full (EU) membership," Czech prime minister Mirek Topalanek told reporters at a news conference. "I think that during our chairmanship in 2009, we can push for more intensive negotiations. We can discuss single chapters more intensively, simply because the Czech side is interested in it," he added. Erdogan welcomed Czech support: "I would like to thank our Czech partners and friends for their support in our negotiations for joining the EU during the past five years." On rising tensions between Turkey and the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) based across the border with Iraq, Topolanek commented: "I don't think Kurds are interested in the idea of the the larger Kurdistan now." "Terrorism has the same face all around the world and it is necessary to fight it the same way all around the world," he added. Erdogan is also due to hold talks with Czech President Vaclav Klaus later on Thursday.

ITN Source | November 15, 2007

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