Bagis: "Turkey will be ready for EU membership in 2013 or 2014"

Turkey will be ready for full European Union membership in late 2013 or 2014, said State Minister and Chief EU Talks Negotiator Egemen Bagis yesterday. In Slovakia, before proceeding to Brussels today, he also stated that Turkey must travel the same road as other candidates and called for a fair negotiation process. Asked about European claims that Ankara has lost its zeal for reforms, Bagis said: "We are always enthusiastic and eager to make reforms. But we're not enthusiastic and eager about bowing our head. Our quest for a fair negotiation process remains undiminished." Asked about French President Nicolas Sarkozy's scheduled visit to Turkey next month, he said: "France's attitude towards Turkey's membership can't change overnight, but many things will change in the mind of the person who will change France's attitude. I think he paid his last visit to Turkey 20 or 25 years ago, so he remembers the Turkey of back then. I'm sure he'll be surprised to see the transformation of Turkey since. I think he'll feel he's been unfair to us." Bagis also said Turkey's top five demands of the EU are a fair negotiation process, sincere cooperation against terrorism, eased visa restrictions, invitations to EU summits, and no using Cyprus as an excuse.