Solana praises Turkey as a driving force

In his speech during the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) High Consultation Council, EU's former High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana said that the role played by Turkey was a driving force stronger than the entire EU and that the new relationship model between Turkey and the EU would be the baseline. Stating that Turkey has carried out great changes recently, Solana said that the EU needed strong cooperation with Turkey. "Relations between Turkey and the EU could be accelerated and provided with a restart. At this point, we must act smartly and work in collaboration not only with political leaders, but also with non-governmental organizations both in Turkey and the EU," Solana added. Solana also underlined the increasing power of Turkey in international arena, saying that Turkey was well-known for its own values and that everybody was aware of this.