Ankara steps up public diplomacy efforts towards EU accession

On an official tour of the Baltic states in an effort to gain more support for Turkey's European Union accession bid, State Minister and Chief Negotiator for EU Talks Egemen Bagis yesterday had talks with Lithuanian President Dalia Brybauskaite, Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius, and Foreign Minister Audronius Azubalis in the capital Vilnius. He also met with Deputy Parliament Speaker Ceslovas Vyautas Stankevicius. Speaking to reporters en route to Lithuania, Bagis said that they are working hard to make Turkey better known among the European public and thus defuse misconceptions about Turkey and its culture. Talking about his plans to bring together EU ambassadors and local people in the eastern province of Van for a chess match and rafting competition, Bagis said, "Through such events, we want to ensure that the Turkish and European publics know each other better." He also said preparations are underway for an Istanbul concert that will synthesize Turkish and European classical music. As part of its public diplomacy efforts towards EU accession, Ankara also places great importance on its bid to host the 2016 European Football Championship. In Lithuania, Bagis also addressed a conference held by Vilnius University’s Institution of Political Sciences and International Relations on Turkey's EU accession bid. In his speech, Bagis said Turkey's admission is key to EU aspirations to become a global player, adding that the Islamic world is closely following this process as well. Touching on rising Islamophobia in Europe, Bagis dismissed claims that a full EU member Turkey's Muslim identify could pose the threat of Islamization in Europe as illiberality.