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ANKARA: President tells envoys EU membership remains top priority

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  • ANKARA: President tells envoys EU membership remains top priority

    Anatolia news agency, Turkey
    July 18 2008


    TURKISH PRESIDENT TELLS ENVOYS EU MEMBERSHIP REMAINS TOP PRIORITY



    Ankara, Turkish President Abdullah Gul said on Friday [18 July] that
    modernization project of Turkey as regards to European Union (EU)
    membership should be one of the priorities of Turkish diplomacy and
    other state institutions.

    Gul met with Turkish ambassadors, currently in Turkey within the scope
    of "1st Ambassadors Conference", over lunch at the Presidential Palace
    in Ankara.

    Gul said Turkish Republic strengthened its security, national unity
    and integrity, upgraded its prosperity level and reached its goal to
    become a "positive power" for peace and stability in its region.

    Gul said Turkey launched initiatives on many regional problems
    including the Middle East, assumed roles in multinational peace
    protection forces, and played a significant role in peace and
    cooperation activities in the world.

    Turkish president said political, economic and cultural clashes in the
    Middle East region deeply affected global peace and stability, noting
    that the efforts exerted for the solution of the problems in question
    could not yield results.

    "We see that the actual situation was only in the interests of
    fanatics, terrorists and speculators, so I think that mechanisms
    should be established soon to prevent crises and to restore a new
    confidence and cooperation atmosphere in the Middle East," he added.

    President Gul said careful works and creative ideas of the ambassadors
    contributed a lot for the solution of some problems, noting that UN
    plan regarding Cyprus question was negotiated successfully.

    Gul said Turkey launched many good-will initiatives to normalize
    relations with Armenia since this country announced its independence,
    adding "the initiatives in question and proposal of Turkey to
    establish a "joint history commission" waits for response."

    Commenting on relations with the EU, Gul said Turkey made important
    steps on fundamental principles of democratic, secular and social
    state for the past 85 years on the way to reach level of contemporary
    civilization. "Full membership talks with the EU is the most important
    phase of this," he added.

    "Fundamental principles of the EU are based on democracy, supremacy of
    law, protection of human rights, recognition of social rights, free
    market economy, cultural diversity and respect. The values in question
    are in conformity with the philosophy of our Republic and expectations
    of our people. Thus, this project should be one of the most important
    priorities of our diplomacy and other state institutions," he added.
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