Bagis Meets With Asselborn In Luxembourg

Turkey’s Minister of EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis on Thursday met with Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean Asselborn in Luxembourg. Speaking in a joint press conference held with Asselborn following the meeting, Bagis said that the EU needed Turkey’s contributions in order to overcome economic recession. "Turkey's economic growth rate was 6 times of EU in the last five years. While the average age in Turkey is 29, it is 45 in Europe," Bagis said. Stating that Turkey will become one of the top ten economies in the world and the second major economy in Europe by 2050, Bagis said that the global economic crisis has awaken many intellectuals in Europe to understand the potential contribution of Turkey. Regarding the visa exemption and Turkey's EU bid, Bagis said, “We deserve better treatment if we have Customs Union since 1996, conduct 40 percent of our trade with European countries and one of the greatest contributors to the security of Europe in NATO." For his part, Asselborn said, "Turkey's membership to the EU is a win-win situation for both parties. If the EU rejects Turkey's membership, it will make a tremendous mistake for the future of our children. Because we need states like Turkey in the 21st century and I think Turkey needs the EU, too."