ID :
171661
Tue, 03/29/2011 - 17:14
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/171661
The shortlink copeid
French Senate Committee for European Affairs delegation visits Turkish Parliament
ANKARA (A.A) - 29.03.2011 - Chairman of the Turkish Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee, Murat Mercan, said Tuesday that European Union (EU) member states had to establish relations with Turkey similar to the ones they established with other candidate countries in the past.
Mercan met with Jean Bizet, the Chairman of the Committee for European Affairs in the French Senate, and an accompanying delegation in Ankara on Tuesday.
I am pleased with the visit of Mr. Bizet to Turkey. This visit, which takes place at a time when Turkish and French relations are tense, is crucial for Turkey and France to understand each other, Mercan stressed.
Turkey and France are among the biggest and most important countries of Europe. These two countries could make great contributions to Europe and regional peace. I believe that such visits are crucial to promote dialogue and to exchange views, Mercan noted.
We are of the opinion that Turkey would make important contributions to the EU from a strategic, political and economic perspective. We know that France can make important contributions to Turkey's EU process. Surely, there could be disagreements on certain issues. However, instead of focusing on our disagreements, we can focus on how we can jointly contribute to the EU with France, Mercan said.
Bizet, in his part, said that they knew that Turkey's relations with the EU was a little tense.
While it is not an alternative to the EU, the Union for the Mediterranean could be a venue where we can conduct important works together. Turkey has a strategic status geographically. There is no country like Turkey that can talk with all Muslim countries. We understand your loyalty to the EU membership process. There are still many chapters to be opened in Turkey's membership process. We realize that you have made important progress and salute such progress. We can see that Turkey has assumed important roles in the Balkans and Caucasus. We can see that Turkey is a bridge between the Muslim world and the West. Such a status is a plus in the EU, Bizet said.
We can see Turkey's efforts for peace in the Balkans, Caucasus and Central Asia, Bizet added.
Mercan met with Jean Bizet, the Chairman of the Committee for European Affairs in the French Senate, and an accompanying delegation in Ankara on Tuesday.
I am pleased with the visit of Mr. Bizet to Turkey. This visit, which takes place at a time when Turkish and French relations are tense, is crucial for Turkey and France to understand each other, Mercan stressed.
Turkey and France are among the biggest and most important countries of Europe. These two countries could make great contributions to Europe and regional peace. I believe that such visits are crucial to promote dialogue and to exchange views, Mercan noted.
We are of the opinion that Turkey would make important contributions to the EU from a strategic, political and economic perspective. We know that France can make important contributions to Turkey's EU process. Surely, there could be disagreements on certain issues. However, instead of focusing on our disagreements, we can focus on how we can jointly contribute to the EU with France, Mercan said.
Bizet, in his part, said that they knew that Turkey's relations with the EU was a little tense.
While it is not an alternative to the EU, the Union for the Mediterranean could be a venue where we can conduct important works together. Turkey has a strategic status geographically. There is no country like Turkey that can talk with all Muslim countries. We understand your loyalty to the EU membership process. There are still many chapters to be opened in Turkey's membership process. We realize that you have made important progress and salute such progress. We can see that Turkey has assumed important roles in the Balkans and Caucasus. We can see that Turkey is a bridge between the Muslim world and the West. Such a status is a plus in the EU, Bizet said.
We can see Turkey's efforts for peace in the Balkans, Caucasus and Central Asia, Bizet added.
