Davutoglu urges EU to focus on added value of Turkey's membership

In an op-ed in Spanish newspaper El Pais yesterday, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu urged the European Union to focus on the added value that Turkey's EU accession would bring instead of questioning the country's European identity. "Fifty years after the establishment of relations between Turkey and the EU, it's amazing that there are still those who question the European identity of our country," Davutoglu wrote. "Now, given the magnitude of the challenges and opportunities before us, we must abandon those grueling debates and focus on the added value that Turkey's entry would involve." He said Turkey and Spain share the idea that the Mediterranean should again be a source of peace and stability, adding that this idea led the two countries to launch the Alliance of Civilizations initiative. "With the Alliance of Civilizations, our countries have shown that while preserving the uniqueness of our identities, we enrich each other through the recognition of others. This will be a good example for other countries around the world," Davutoglu said. Stating that the world faces numerous challenges such as the economic crisis, energy security, illegal migration, epidemics, climate change, organized crime, misunderstandings between Islamic and Western societies, extremism and terrorism, Davutoglu wrote, "If the aims are to eradicate all forms of intolerance and discrimination based on religious grounds or otherwise, to promote a democratic and equitable international order, and to achieve steady economic development and do so in a sustainable way, Turkey's entry into the EU as a full member can make an important difference." Stressing that the main objective of Turkey's foreign policy has always been promoting peace, stability and prosperity everywhere, Davutoglu said, "Turkey's growing economic dynamism, coupled with its demographic qualities, gives the EU a strategic choice when addressing economic imbalances and future challenges of population. When we are in a position to enter the EU as a full member, we will assume responsibility for our part."