Minister voices strong willingness for EU bid
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mayıs 09, 2009 00:00
ANKARA - Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu yesterday voiced Turkey’s strong willingness to become a member of the European Union but underlined that the 27-nation bloc should also do its best to let the candidate country in.
"Our first expectation is pacta sunt servanda. The EU must respect its past commitments; offering Turkey other alternatives than full membership is tantamount to disrespect to the bloc’s values," Davutoğlu said in an address to EU ambassadors during a luncheon at Ankara’s Sheraton Hotel to mark Europe Day.
The foreign minister stressed that Turkey must not be used as a propaganda instrument by European leaders who want to make strides in domestic politics ahead of the European Parliament elections set for June.
Finally, he said issues that were not related to the EU should not be set as an obstacle before Turkish accession. "On Cyprus, for example, Turkey did its best for a settlement. If the Turkish Cypriots have begun raising doubts about the EU over the last five years, that means their trust to the EU has declined and the EU is responsible for rebuilding trust." Davutoğlu said the Greek Cypriot arguments should not hinder Turkey’s negotiations.
He reiterated Turkish support for negotiations of the Cypriot leaders to reunify the island and expressed the hope that talks would be conclude positively, a development that would bring peace and stability to the eastern Mediterranean. "If this does not come true, nobody can blame Turkey," he added. In order to join the EU, Turkey will do its homework, said the minister, but added that he did not want to see Turkey as a candidate country on Europe Day, 2013. "A Europe without Istanbul will not be a real Europe," he stated.
The foreign minister stressed that Turkey must not be used as a propaganda instrument by European leaders who want to make strides in domestic politics ahead of the European Parliament elections set for June.
Finally, he said issues that were not related to the EU should not be set as an obstacle before Turkish accession. "On Cyprus, for example, Turkey did its best for a settlement. If the Turkish Cypriots have begun raising doubts about the EU over the last five years, that means their trust to the EU has declined and the EU is responsible for rebuilding trust." Davutoğlu said the Greek Cypriot arguments should not hinder Turkey’s negotiations.
He reiterated Turkish support for negotiations of the Cypriot leaders to reunify the island and expressed the hope that talks would be conclude positively, a development that would bring peace and stability to the eastern Mediterranean. "If this does not come true, nobody can blame Turkey," he added. In order to join the EU, Turkey will do its homework, said the minister, but added that he did not want to see Turkey as a candidate country on Europe Day, 2013. "A Europe without Istanbul will not be a real Europe," he stated.