Epress.am News from Armenia
Turkish State Minister and Chief Negotiator for EU talks, Egemen Bağış, said Tuesday that Turkey would be ready for EU membership by the end of 2013 or the beginning of 2014.
Speaking to reporters in Slovakia’s capital city of Bratislava on Tuesday, Bağış said that he expected the EU to conduct a fair negotiations process, make sincere cooperation against terror, not to hide behind Cyprus, to facilitate easier visas and to invite Turkey to the EU summits, reports Today’s Zaman.
Egemen Bağış complained that, while Turkey fulfilled its obligations on the way to EU, the EU did not do what it had to do in order to make progress in Turkey’s EU negotiation process.
Turkey will be ready for full EU membership by the end of 2013 or the beginning of 2014. We request a fair negotiations process from the EU. Obstacles not placed to other candidates should not be placed for Turkey, Bağış said.
In regard to the issue of visas, Bağış said that, while the citizens of Paraguay and Uruguay could enter EU countries’ Schengen region without visas, it is a shame to force Turkish citizens to obtain visas at a time when Turkey conducts 60 percent of its trade with EU countries, Bağış said.
In reference to EU summits, Bağış said that the EU did not invite Turkey to summits in which strategic issues were discussed.
We expect Turkey to be invited to EU summits attended by presidents, prime ministers and foreign ministers, Bağış said.
Touching on chapters in negotiations, Bağış said that Turkey’s priority was not opening chapters to negotiations.
Our goal is to open minds and win hearts, Bağış added.