EU Minister Bağış: Hold on Europe, Turkey is coming to rescue you

EU Minister and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis said yesterday that the developing Turkey would rescue Europe as an EU member.

Speaking in a session entitled “Turkey in the 21st century” as part of “Europe’s Digital Life Design Conference” in Munich, Bagis said, “We are more determined than ever to become a member of the EU. My new slogan is ‘hold on tight Europe, Turkey is coming to rescue you’.”

Stating that there are more than 30,000 foreign companies in Turkey, Bagis said that Turkey has grown even at a time of crisis. Bagis also stressed that Turkey’s economic growth rate was approximately 8 percent, when it was 1.5 percent in European countries.

Speaking on adoption of the French bill criminalizing the denial of Armenian allegations pertaining to the incidents of 1915, Bagis said that the French Senate’s decision was influenced by presidential elections to be held in May.

In reply to a question about Turkey’s stance towards Israel, Bagis said, “What happened between Turkey and Israel is a different story. Nine Turkish innocent citizens were killed, executed in international waters by Israeli military and all Turkey expected was a simple apology and it’s been more than two years that that apology has not come. It’s only normal for Turkey to react. If nine German citizens were killed in international waters, while carrying humanitarian assistance to a part of the world that needs it, German government would react as well.

What I’m saying is totally different. I’m saying, ‘Well, we are establishing democracies in the Middle East. We need to also make peace between those democracies and Israel and Turkey can play a role. I’m still trying to be positive and you’re the one who’s twisting. You’re better than me.”

25.01.2012
SOURCE: DUNYA.COM