Brussels, 23/09/2004 (Agence Europe) - Late afternoon on Thursday the Turkish prime minister Erdogan met the presdient of the European Parliament Josep Borrell and the presidents of the EP political groups. Borrell informed the press that the meeting with Erdogan and the responses provided by the former had been very useful in alleviating the fears of certain political groups. Borrell also recognised that the presidents of the political groups did not all support opening negotiations and certain had expressed concerns and serious worries. Borrel also explained that different positions continued to exist at the European Parliament and he would present a report on Turkey by the end of the year. Mr Erdogan was pleased with the results from the Brussels' meeting and noted the very positive declaration from Commissioner Verheugen (see above). Erdogan said that they had already satisfied the political criteria and Mr Verheugen had said this in the morning, with nothing left to resolve. Erdogan also asserted that he had never intended to include adultery in the penal code draft, which would be debated on Sunday during the special session of the Turkish parliament and that he had never made a reference to adultery in any legislative text. Overall, he said that he was very pleased with Verheugen's postive declaration and he was very confident that the final declaration of the European Commission on 6 October would be positive as well. The Turkish prime minister said that, "We have done our work well and have completed everything. The political criteria are attained. There is, therefore, no reason not to give the green light to opening accession negations". The fact that Turkey is a Muslim country does not constitute a problem to accession. Erdogan explained that the European Union was a multicultural union and not a Christian club but a union of values. Josep Borrell backed up the prime minister on this point and re-affirmed that the union was not a Christian club at all.