Turkey essential for EU to overcome challenges, Ankara says
Turkey’s EU accession process should be encouraged with a constructive stance, Erdoğan said in a message marking Europe Day
AS A strong partner, a candidate-state and a NATO ally, Turkey makes a substantial contribution to Europe in overcoming current challenges, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in a message issued on the occasion of Europe Day yesterday.
“The negative effects of war in Ukraine, which has reached global dimensions, have reasserted the strategic importance of Turkey for the EU,” the president said.
Highlighting the importance of focusing on mutual interests rather than differences, Erdoğan said enhancing Turkey-EU relations in all fields will benefit both sides.
“Turkey’s EU accession process, which the country has maintained with patience and determination despite all obstacles, should be encouraged with a constructive stance,” the president said, adding that it is a “necessity” for the bloc’s future, reputation and reliability.
Erdoğan noted that Europe Day, which marked the creation of a more unified Europe after the Schuman Declaration of 1950, has been celebrated in Turkey since 1999. He also highlighted the importance of the declaration, saying that it ensured European countries come together following a destructive war for the sake of peace, security, development and prosperity.
The president continued by saying that European countries have started to move away from the bloc’s founding values, mostly under the influence of countries’ short-term policies. However, the war in Ukraine has turned a new page.
“This tragedy, which is taking place before the eyes of the whole world, is in a way a warning,” Erdoğan said, adding that Europe needs solidarity, cooperation and a visionary and brave perspective, similar to the one in 1950.
“It is high time that the EU, which has drifted away from its founding values and has come under the influence of short-term policies of some member states, starts writing a new story for itself amid the Ukraine war,” the president said.
The president also said he congratulates Europe Day, hoping that it leads to further peace, solidarity and welfare in the region.
AS A strong partner, a candidate-state and a NATO ally, Turkey makes a substantial contribution to Europe in overcoming current challenges, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in a message issued on the occasion of Europe Day yesterday.
“The negative effects of war in Ukraine, which has reached global dimensions, have reasserted the strategic importance of Turkey for the EU,” the president said.
Highlighting the importance of focusing on mutual interests rather than differences, Erdoğan said enhancing Turkey-EU relations in all fields will benefit both sides.
“Turkey’s EU accession process, which the country has maintained with patience and determination despite all obstacles, should be encouraged with a constructive stance,” the president said, adding that it is a “necessity” for the bloc’s future, reputation and reliability.
Erdoğan noted that Europe Day, which marked the creation of a more unified Europe after the Schuman Declaration of 1950, has been celebrated in Turkey since 1999, as he highlighted the importance of the declaration, saying that it ensured European countries come together following a destructive war for the sake of peace, security, development and prosperity.
The president continued by saying that European countries have started to move away from the bloc’s founding values, mostly under the influence of countries’ shortterm policies. However, the war in Ukraine has turned a new page.
“This tragedy, which is taking place before the eyes of the whole world, is in a way a warning,” Erdoğan said, adding that Europe needs solidarity, cooperation and a visionary and brave perspective, similar to the one in 1950.
“It is high time that the EU, which has drifted apart from its founding values and has come under the influence of short-term policies of some member-states, starts writing a new story for itself amid the Ukraine War,” the president said.
The president also said he congratulates Europe Day, hoping that it leads to further peace, solidarity and welfare in the region.
ÇAVUŞOĞLU MARKS EUROPE DAY
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu yesterday said Turkey continues to follow a constructive policy in all fields to further enhance cooperation and dialogue within the scope of its EU accession process.
In a message issued on the occasion of May 9 Europe Day, the foreign minister said the war in Ukraine has shown how difficult it is to protect and preserve peace.
“The tragedy in Ukraine, which is happening in the middle of Europe in the 21st century and which has brought us back to Europe in the 1940s, is a warning sign for
all of us,” Çavuşoğlu said, adding that it will be a turning point for the future of Europe.
He continued by saying that besides the war, the bloc is also challenged by global uncertainties, climate change, energy dependency, terrorism and irregular migration. “Furthermore, extremist trends, including discrimination, xenophobia and anti-Muslim hatred, have been deteriorating the bloc’s culture of co-existence and shaking the mutual values that Europe was built upon,” Çavuşoğlu said.
He noted that Turkey has always contributed
to the region’s stability and prosperity and that Ankara will continue to follow cooperation and dialogue-based policy.
Marking Europe Day, Deputy Foreign Minister Faruk Kaymakcı also said Sunday that Turkey’s possible membership in the EU will be a great gain not only for the country and the bloc, but also for other countries around the world.
Turkey is the country that can contribute the most to the peace, stability, economy, security, defense and energy security of Europe, Kaymakcı said and added: “We
hope Turkey’s EU membership process will be seen from this perspective and this process will be accelerated. Turkey’s membership in the EU will be a great gain not only for Turkey or the EU but also for the world and third countries. That’s why we celebrate Europe Day with enthusiasm and wish Turkey’s EU membership process to accelerate.”
Turkey has a long history with the union and the longest negotiation process. The country signed an association agreement with the EU’s predecessor, the European
Economic Community (EEC), in 1964, which is regarded as a first step to eventually becoming a candidate. Applying for official candidacy in 1987, Turkey had to wait until 1999 to be granted the status of a candidate country. Turkey then had to wait another six years for negotiations to begin in 2005, a uniquely long process compared to other candidates. Since then, the process seems to have stalled. Nearly 80% of Turkish people still favor the possibility of Turkey becoming an EU member.