Babacan: "Turkey has already strenghtened straregic deepness of EU"

Addressing members of the European Union Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee, Foreign Minister and Chief Negotiator Ali Babacan yesterday said, "Turkey is making efforts for peace, prosperity and stability in its region" and stressed, "Although Turkey currently isn't a full member of the EU, it highly contributes to the Union's foreign policy goals and it has already strengthened the Union's strategic deepness." Babacan reiterated that Turkey only targeted the terrorist PKK bases during its recent cross-border operations in northern Iraq and added that the issue should be seen only as an issue of terrorism and terrorist organizations. Babacan also warned the committee members not to fall for propaganda of the terrorist organization that it represents Kurds and said that the Iraqi central government also shared the same view with Turkey on that issue. Asked about religious freedoms in Turkey, Babacan said, "Turkey's definition of secularism is very clear: Exact separation between state affairs and religion. The state remains at an equal distance from all beliefs and doesn't interfere with individuals' fulfilling requirements of their beliefs. Both the devout people from different religions and those who don't have any religious belief should benefit from the atmosphere of liberty." Asked about his expectations for the outcome of the case seeking the closure of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Babacan said, "In a country on the way to the EU full membership, I believe that the judiciary will give its decision on the case in line with the Copenhagen political criteria and the principles of Venice Commission."