Turkey’s Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said Friday that EU membership for Turkey was not only a target, but a right as well.
Ecevit’s remarks came at a joint press conference with his Spanish counterpart Jose Maria Aznar in Spain, reported the Turkish Daily News.
Ecevit, who is paying a two-day official visit to Spain, said full membership was an indispensable target for Turkey, adding: “It is also a right.”
"The Turkish nation has been living in Turkey for almost 600 years," said Ecevit. "But we are not only Turkish, we are a part of the Balkans, Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Eastern Mediterranean. Turkey has one of the most important geopolitical locations.
"Therefore, Turkey's EU membership, which is a right, will open other gates to Europe. In a time when Europe and Asia have started to integrate, which we call "Eurasiazation," Turkey can very well play a key role and it has already started to play this role," he told reporters.
Ecevit also said he was determined to undertake broader political reforms and improve Turkey's human rights record so the country can join the EU, the paper said.
The European Parliament (EP) adopted in February the report concerning the framework regulation which establishes the legal basis of the accession partnership for Turkey, and which directs the EU's financial assistance towards Turkey's preparations for accession.
The report stipulates that Turkey "shall be treated equally as the other candidates," and that it "should fully benefit from all the EU programs, including the SAPARD and ISPA financial instruments for the support of agricultural and infrastructure projects, respectively,” a statement by Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said at the time.
The report also stipulates that “efficient steps should be taken to ensure that Turkey-EU financial cooperation is not hindered by political considerations.”
Although it is understood that Turkey's inclusion at this stage in the SAPARD and ISPA funds poses certain difficulties under the EU's current budget regulations, the constructive attitude of the EP in this regard is important and positive for the future of Turkey-EU financial cooperation, said the ministry’s statement – Albawaba.com
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