Barosso: Turkey would bring significant 'added value' to EU

Having Turkey as a member would not create a burden for the European Union, but would instead contribute significant added value to the bloc, the president of the European Commission said late Wednesday. Saying that the European Commission extended its full support to Turkey’s membership, President Jose Manuel Barroso also drew attention to some difficulties stemming from several member states. “Some European Union member states are not ready to accept Turkey as a full member at this point,” he said, speaking at the European Business Summit in Brussels, adding that he was aware of Turkey’s disappointment with this. “I believe the Turkish economy will bring added value to the European Union. Turkey will not be a burden on the bloc, to the contrary it will bring in significant added value with its young population and current dynamism,” the European Commission president said.