Sunday, 5 July 2009
Turkey's European Union (EU) negotiator said on Sunday that Turkey was aware of its responsibilities on the road to the union.
State Minister Egemen Bagis, who is also the chief negotiator for EU talks, said Turkey was aware of its responsibilities and liabilities regarding EU membership.
"Also, Turkey has the right to expect its interlocutors to fulfil their own responsibilities and liabilities," Bagis told AA correspondent.
Bagis' remarks came after the Greek "Imerisia" newspaper published remarks of Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyianni.
In an interview with Imerisia, Bakoyianni said that her country had been supporting Turkey's EU membership from the outset, however Greece's thesis was clear.
Bakoyianni said there was not a common decision of Europe to open negotiations on "frozen" chapters if Turkey did not implement the Ankara Protocol.
The Greek foreign minister said besides those eight chapters, there were some other issues on the table and Turkey should fulfil its obligations. Bakoyianni also said that Turkey should understand that it should cooperate against illegal migration.
Speaking to AA correspondent, Egemen Bagis said, "international agreements were not obligations imposed by who speaks the loudest."
Bagis said Turkey had not launched its international relations with the EU first, and "on the contrary to the first and only agenda of its Greek friends, Turkey's sole agenda was not Cyprus."
"Our interlocutors who are steering negative manoeuvres against us within the EU might be in a more advantageous ground, but they are not on a rightful ground. First of all, you should be right," he said.
Bagis said an agreement should be implemented under equal and fair conditions and under the principle of reciprocity.
"Turkey will stay out of this propaganda," he said.
Bagis said Turkey found unserious the statements made to the media to please the public in one's country, and added that communicating through media was not a method Turkey preferred.
