GERMANY’S FOREIGN MINISTER EXPRESSES SUPPORT FOR TURKEY’S EU ACCESSION BID

Anadolu Agency
February 16, 2009 Monday
Turkey

"TURKEY’S IMPORTANCE IN ENERGY TRANSPORATION WILL BE BETTER
ACKNOWLEDGED IN YEARS TO COME, GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER STEINMEIER"
– AA headline

BERLIN (A.A) – Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier
said Turkey’s importance in energy transportation would be better
acknowledged in the years to come.

Steinmeier who delivered a speech at the lunch hosted in Berlin by
Turkish Community in Germany (TGD) said he always supported Turkey’s
accession to the EU, adding however that there were certain countries
who were rather hesitant about it.

He said Turkey ought to be given a fair chance for membership, and
all obstacles in its way should be removed.

Steinmeier said Turkey’s expectations and hopes should not be affected
by EU member countries’ negative attitude.

He said Turkey pursued a very active foreign policy and played a
mediating role in the Middle East.

Steinmeier said he appreciated Turkey’s efforts to enhance both its
own relations with Armenia and the relations between Azarbaijan and
Armenia. He said Germany’s relations with Turkey would always be good.

He said if his party, Social Democratic Party (SPD) won the elections
in September 27, Germany’s stance towards Turkey’s membership would
change.

He referred to the coalition agreement with Christlich Demokratische
Union (CDU) and said they had compromised to put a provision in the
agreement saying the accession negotiations with Turkey would be open
ended because CDU insisted so.

Steinmeier said his party supported Turkey’s full membership to the EU.

He said unemployment rates and number of people leaving the schools
without a diploma were higher among Turks in Germany compared to
Germans, adding that an education system offering equal opportunities
to everyone was needed.

Steinmeier said not just Germans but also immigrants in Germany
should see themselves as a richness for the society, noting that it
was not possible to desire an open society while closing the doors
to immigrants on the other hand.