ERDOGAN: TIME TO DISCUSS TURKEY’S EUROPEAN IDENTITY IS OVER

PanARMENIAN.Net
12.02.2010 13:22 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
criticized the recent report of the European Parliament on Turkey,
saying that the time to discuss Turkey’s European identity is over.

Hosting a luncheon for the EU ambassadors, Erdogan said, "The recent
report of the European Parliament on Turkey is unilateral. It also
includes baseless and unacceptable elements. We think that the report
was written in a style which could affect Turkey’s EU accession
process negatively."

"If the European Parliament succeeds in displaying a constructive and
impartial attitude, its reports and documents will be meaningful to
Turkey. Despite all negative attitudes and all preventive attempts
of some circles, Turkey will continue protecting its rights and make
progress in its EU membership process," he said.

Prime Minister Erdogan told EU ambassadors, "as a guarantor state,
we extend full support to the negotiation process in Cyprus. But
it is clear that the negotiations cannot continue forever. Turkish
Cypriots have already proved their will for a solution. We think that
EU-member states should now take action and push the Greek Cypriot
party to assume a compromising attitude."

"The function of the European Parliament should not be acting as a
spokesman for the Greek Cypriot party," he said.

Egemen Bagis, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator, who was
also present at the meeting, stated for his part that Turkey’s EU
accession process is important for the country but it doesn’t mean
that Turkey is ready to sacrifice Cyprus in order to become a EU
member. "Turkey eyes the Cyprus issue as a national problem. We extend
full support to the negotiation process in Cyprus,’" he emphasized,
TRT reported.