Ankara to adopt EU standards by 2014

Turkey is hopeful of bringing the country into line with EU standards by 2014, European Union Minister Egemen Bagis said May 21. "The important thing for us is not about when we will be a member of the EU; what is important is when we will apply the standards of the EU," Bagis told private channel SKYTURK360, noting that Ankara would accomplish the goal within the next two years. Bagis, who is Turkey's chief negotiator in the EU accession process, said 72 percent of Turks think the country's EU accession process strengthened Turkey's reform process, noting that the country was conducting the reforms not for EU membership but for its own benefit. "The EU accession process has also made Turkey a source of inspiration for other countries in the region," he said. Bagis said Turkey's biggest problem was terror. "After defeating the terror problem, Turkey's road is wide open." The minister also said his country was the key nation in terms of cooperation between the EU and NATO. "Europe is aware that they cannot move forward anywhere without Turkey." Bagis said the country that Turkey feels closest to in the EU is Britain. "We have common interests with Britain."