Bagis: "European indentity of Turkey cannot even be discussed"

Turkey's EU Minister and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis yesterday said that Turkey was willing to take the same steps as other candidate countries did in their negotiation process for EU membership. Speaking at a panel on the impacts of Turkey's EU membership process on Turkish craftsmen, Bagis indicated that the process was vitally important to ensure democratization, transparency and improvement in Turkey. "Turkey has experienced all of the EU's initiatives and processes since 1959. Accordingly, the European identity of Turkey cannot even be discussed," Bagis said.