09/12/2002 (Agence Europe) - In an interview published on 9 December by Le Figaro, the Chairman of the European Convention, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, toned down his radical opposition to Turkey's accession to the European Union (see EUROPE of 9 November, p.7). He thus said: "I did not say that Turkey's admission to the Union would entail the death of the Union (…). I said that it was first of all necessary to achieve the European Union, and then we would see". VGE added: "Let us first of all have successful integration of the ten new members, then Romania and Bulgaria. We must seek to satisfy the populations concerned so that, in a few years from now (…) they do not seek to bring their Union membership into question". In his view, "this does not prevent us from organising our relations with neighbouring countries, to find ways to consult with them and to take their aspirations into account".