Barroso: "Nobody should expect the EU to be a party to domestic political disputes"

European Commission head Jose Manuel Barroso and European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn yesterday began their landmark visit to Turkey. They first visited Anitkabir, the mausoleum of the founder of modern Turkey, Ataturk. "I pay respect to the eminent statesman Kemal Atatürk, who had a great vision, served his country with determined reforms, and brought it to modernity," Barosso wrote in Anitkabir's memorial guestbook. Barroso and Rehn later held separate meetings with President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Meeting with Gul at the Çankaya Presidential Palace, Barroso said, "If Turkey meets all the necessary conditions for full EU membership, nobody can prevent it from joining." In his meeting with the two top EU officials, Erdogan said, "Turkey's full EU membership will send a message of tolerance," and stressed that Turkey joining the bloc would be a strategic move with global impact. Erdogan also reiterated that Turkey will continue its reform efforts with determination. At a joint press conference after his meeting with Erdogan, Barroso said, "We hope that the recent closure case (against the ruling Justice and Development Party, AKP) will end in line with European democratic standards," and called such a case in a stable, democratic country "baffling." Barroso underlined the importance of democratic implementation of the principle of secularism, saying, "A secular government must respect both freedom of religion and freedom to disbelieve." For his part, Erdogan said, "This high-level visit from the EU shows that the union places great importance on Turkey's EU membership." He stressed that Turkey is doing its best to enact necessary reforms, adding that Turkey will not accept anything short of full EU membership.