Turkey's government and financial markets yesterday shrugged off France's rejection of the EU constitution, despite the fact that anti-constitution politicians in France used Turkey's impending entry talks as a reason to vote No.
"This result is something which concerns the French public ... not Turkey," the state news agency quoted foreign minister Abdullah Gul as saying. "The start of negotiations is in our hands ... What would prevent Turkey starting the negotiations is doing things contrary to EU standards or not fulfilling the things it has promised to do."
Heavily outnumbered Eurosceptics in the new EU member states of central Europe hailed France's rejection of the bloc's constitution, while supporters of the treaty insisted the result must not hamper further EU integration and expansion.
"The result of the French referendum is regrettable but not fatal concerning the future of Europe," said Hungarian prime minister Ferenc Gyurcsany, in a statement that was widely echoed across this region in blending regret with a determination not to panic.
Slovakia's foreign minister, Eduard Kukan, called the French result "a great disappointment and a bitter disillusionment", but insisted the result would "not have an effect on the union's further process of enlargement".
In Poland, Prime Minister Marek Belka said he "deplored" the French No vote, and acknowledged it could sour sentiment towards further EU expansion.
"The results from the French vote show that we have entered the most difficult stage of the EU accession process," said Bulgarian foreign minister Solomon Passy. The loudest celebrations in the region were heard in the Czech Republic, where President Vaclav Klaus proclaimed the death of a treaty he has vehemently opposed.
Spanish prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero said European leaders should take note of voter unease with the constitution but the ratification process must go on."I respect the pronouncement of France ... but, with great respect, the Spanish government considers that the ratification process must go on...," he said.
Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi said: "The result of the French referendum is certainly a setback. What is needed now is some positive action from all those countries which want the European [ constitution] project to succeed, starting with France and following the lines of the European ideal as proposed by France itself."