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spain should support turkey's membership bid, says turkish fm |
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Monday, 16 November 2009The Turkish foreign minister expressed on Monday Turkey’s expectation that Spain should support its European Union (EU) membership.
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that Spain, which would take over the rotating presidency of the EU in the first half of 2010, would launch activities in Europe backing Turkey’s membership.
"The Spanish presidency of the EU should also work to eliminate technical problems in launching Turkey-EU negotiations on several chapters, and opening of new chapters," Davutoglu told Turkish reporters in the Spanish capital of Madrid.
Davutoglu is actually paying a formal visit to Spain.
"During its presidency, Spain should also contribute to Turkey’s EU membership bid, and work to enable the union fulfil its commitments to lift embargoes on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and to make the union more unbiased," Davutoglu also said.
Davutoglu said Turkey would support any good-willed initiative in the Middle East.
"Turkey is backing Obama’s Middle East policy, and it will also support such an initiative of France if launched," he said.
Davutoglu said that Turkey was ready to mediate between Israel and Syria again in case two countries wanted, and also said Turkey was considering the issue only within the framework of regional peace.
King Juan Carlos of Spain received Davutoglu earlier on Monday. Davutoglu is expected to proceed to Barcelona later in the day to inaugurate Turkey’s Consulate General in this Spanish city.
Turkish Foreign Minister participated Monday in a meeting on Turkey and Spain at the Madrid-based think-tank, Nueva Economia Forum, as part of visit to Spain.
Delivering a speech at the meeting on "Turkey-Spain: Contributions to Global Peace and Security," Davutoglu said Turkish culture was an integral part of the European culture.
"I can find hundreds of reasons why Turkish culture is part of the European culture. Just to name one I can say that European history could not be written properly if Ottoman archives had not been opened. Whether you like it or not Turkey is a part of Europe," Davutoglu said in response to question on remarks by EP Parliament Speaker Jerzy Buzek who told a Spanish daily that "Turkey’s cultural heritage puts the country’s EU process in peril."
"Let’s say Turkey withdrew it bid to join the EU. Would the Union’s problems just go away? You can deny the Turkish culture, but you cannot deny millions of Turks living in Europe," Davutoglu said.
The Turkish minister expressed optimism over Spain’s upcoming takeover in January of the EU presidency, saying that Turkey had great expectations from the Spanish presidency.
"Spain truly understands that Turkey is active and strategic and is aware of Turkey’s economic potential. The Spanish presidency will have its positive affects not only in the opening of new policy chapters, but in getting closer politically as well," Davutoglu said.
Also participating in the meeting, Spain’s state secretary for the EU, Diego Lopez Garrido, reiterated his country’s support for Turkey’s bid to join the Union.
"Undoubtedly, Spain supports Turkey’s full membership in the European Union," Garrido said.
The Spanish secretary said Turkey’s strategic importance would be appreciated better when the Lisbon Treaty went into force.
"Turkey is a bridge between countries devoted to stability and peace. Turkey can specifically make major contributions to modernization, peace and stability in the Mediterranean," Garrido said. |
Monday, 16 November 2009
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