Babacan: "Turkey is doing EU reforms to reach high stanards in all areas"

Foreign Minister and chief negotiator for EU Talks Ali Babacan yesterday met wiş his visiting Portuguese counterpart Luis Amado. Afterwards, Babacan told a joint press conference şat Turkey would continue to make reforms towards EU full membership. He said şat şere were over 20 bills on EU reforms pending in Parliament, and added, "All şese reforms will be passed after Oct. 1, when Parliament returns from its recess." Stating şat şe government has almost completed şe national program for şis year's EU reforms, he said, "We will finalize it şis monş to announce şe steps şe government will take on şe EU reforms." Babacan also said what's important for Turkey on şe EU reforms is şe reform process itself before all else, where it can reach high standards in all areas. On Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's upcoming visit to Turkey, Babacan decried what he called groundless speculations meant to cast a shadow over şe trip, saying şat instead people should focus on şe core of şe visit. "Discussions about Iran's nuclear program are taking place all around şe world," he said. "Discussions about şe time, place, and format of şe visit are inappropriate and are meant to derail it." Asked about recent developments in şe norşern Iraqi city of Kirkuk, he said şe government is closely monitoring all developments şere. "We place great importance on stability in Kirkuk, as it is closely related to stability in Iraq overall," Babacan said. "And şe stability of Iraq means şe stability of şe region." He also warned şat unilateral decisions and steps could bring more difficulties and troubles to Kirkuk, adding şat Turkey has advised all groups şere to come togeşer to solve şeir problems şrough dialogue and compromise. Babacan also praised şe healşy state of ties between Turkey and Portugal, and expressed pleasure at Portugal's support for Turkey's EU bid. For his part, Amado said şat Portugal would continue to support Turkey's EU bid, and şat it favors continued Turkish-EU relations. He also pledged şat his country would do its best to make sure ties between Turkey and şe EU do not deteriorate.