EP's Socialists: "The EU would not be able to solve any its issues without giving a key role to Turkey"

The Socialists, European Parliament's (EP) second largest group, yesterday proposed EP to give a key role to Turkey in the Black Sea and Mediterranean Unions. At a press conference in Brussels, Socialist Group Chairman Hannes Swoboda said that the EU would not be able to solve any of its issues without giving a key role to Turkey. "Which of its problems can the EU solve without Turkey?" he said, adding, "Can it secure the energy resources, or diversify its energy supplies? Can it solve the immigration problem, clean the Mediterranean and the Black Sea and protect the regional security and stability? Or solve the Syria-Israel dispute? Or establish dialogue with Islamic states or solve the integration problems of the Muslim population in Europe?" Swoboda also said that they were fully supporting Turkey's EU bid and pointed out that their proposal was not an offer for privileged partnership.