ANKARA (A.A) – 04.05.2009 – Italian Ambassador in Ankara Carlo Marsili said on Monday that his country extended strong support to Turkey’s EU membership process. Speaking at a conference in Ankara, Marsili said that Turkey’s face always turned towards western world.
Noting that EU membership process was difficult, Marsili stressed that the target of Turkey was full membership to the EU.
Marsili said that if Turkey met all the conditions asked by the EU in the end of membership negotiations, then there would not be any obstacle before Turkey’s membership.
He noted that Turkey should speed up membership process and fulfill the reforms within that scope.
Expressing belief that there would be a “successful marriage” between Turkey and the EU, Marsili said that he believed the artificial obstacles before the membership negotiations would be eliminated.
Marsili said that relations with Cyprus and Greece were influential issues in Turkey’s negotiation process, adding that insolubility of Cyprus issue damaged Turkey’s EU membership process.
Noting that they did not want the EU to be a Christian club, Marsili said that objecting Turkey on the grounds that it was a Muslim country was not appropriate to the founding values of the EU.
Marsili said that Turkey, in all aspects, was a European country, and it was important as a secular and democratic country.
Noting that Turkey had one of the most dynamic economies of Europe, Marsili pointed out the economic growth of Turkey despite the global economic crisis. (GC-AÖ)
Source: haber.turk.net, 04/05/2009
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