Erdogan: "Rompuy will pose no obstacle to Turkey's EU aspirations"

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday left for Libya for a three-day official visit, the first such visit in 13 years, at the invitation of his Libyan counterpart al-Baghdadi Ali al-Mahmudi. Speaking to reporters before his departure, Erdogan, accompanied by several Cabinet ministers, deputies and a large business delegation, said that his talks with top Libyan officials would focus on improving bilateral political and economic ties and cooperation. "The parties will exchange views to add momentum to relations. This visit will be fruitful for boosting regional developments with Libya," Erdogan said, adding that they would also discuss a possible agreement on encouraging mutual investments. During his visit, Erdogan is scheduled to meet with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, Prime Minister al-Mahmudi, and several other high-level officials. Erdogan is also slated to attend a meeting of the Turkish-Libyan Business Forum. Asked about new European Union President Herman van Rompuy, whose views on Turkey's EU accession bid are similar to those of French and German leaders, Erdogan said Rompuy himself pledged that he would act in line with the principles of the EU. Just ahead of his appointment, records of a December 2004 speech by Van Rompuy indicated strong opposition to Turkey ever joining the EU. "Turkey is not a part of Europe and will never be part of Europe," Van Rompuy said at the time, suggesting that Europe's Christian "fundamental values" would be undermined by admitting Turkey into the Union. That same month the EU gave the go-ahead to open membership negotiations with Turkey. Speaking to news portal EUobserver, Belgian officials confirmed that the speech was made but added that the comments were made before he became Belgian prime minister. Late last week after his appointment, speaking to reporters in Brussels, Van Rompuy said that from now on, as EU president, his personal opinions did not matter as he would harmonize his views with the EU's decisions. "What I think is not important at all. My duty as president is producing reconcilement among EU countries," he added. Analysts argued that Van Rompuy's speech put him squarely on the side of French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, both of whom are proposing a "privileged partnership" for a Turkey in lieu of EU membership. Van Rompuy was reportedly the Franco-German candidate for the EU presidency, strengthening such views. But he will play a small role in the EU decision on Turkey's membership, which has to be made by member countries.