TURKEY EXPRESSED SOUND DETERMINATION TO MAINTAIN ITS EU NEGOTIATION PROCESS
/PanARMENIAN.Net/
12.05.2009 20:47 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish President Abdullah Gul expressed Turkey’s
sound determination to maintain its EU negotiation process.
Holding a joint news conference together with President Anibal Cavaco
Silva of Portugal, who is currently paying a state visit to Turkey,
President Gul said," our allied countries support each other in the
international area. Portugal is one of the countries extending full
support to Turkey’s EU membership process."
"Besides the bilateral relations, the EU-related issues and recent
international developments were high on agenda of our meeting with
President Silva," he said.
President Gul said that Turkey was determined to further improve its
economic and commercial relations with Portugal. "Portugal has great
relations with Latin American and African countries while Turkey is
an influenced country in the Middle East, Caucasus and Asia. We can
cooperate especially in the third countries," he added.
Replying to a question about recent statements of Germany and France
about privileged partnership for Turkey instead of full membership,
President Gul said, "The EU unanimously decided to open membership
negotiations with Turkey. It is a binding decision for all member
countries and everyone is aware of this fact. We are determined to
maintain the negotiation process," Today’s Zaman reported.
The leaders of Germany and France, Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy
denounced the idea of expanding the European Union indefinitely to
include new members such as Turkey. "A Europe without borders would
be a Europe without identity," the French President emphasized.