"Turkish, Belgian PMs discuss Ankara's EU bid, CyprusDocument Actions 15/01/2005
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has discussed his country's bid to join the European Union and the Cyprus conflict in a telephone conversation with his Belgian counterpart Guy Verhofstadt, Erdogan's office said Saturday. Verhofstadt offered Belgium's help in preparations for the inauguration of membership talks between Turkey and the EU in October, the statement said. He also expressed support for a new initiative the UN may launch in a bid to reunite the long-divided Turkish and Greek communities of Cyprus. Erdogan, for his part, said the EU should fulfill promises of financial aid and the easing of trade restrictions on the breakaway Turkish Cypriots, made after their overwhelming support for a UN settlement plan in a referendum last April, the statement said. The plan was killed off by a strong 'no' on the Greek Cypriot side. "
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