Former Greek Foreign Minister praises Turkey's economy

Former Greek Foreign Minister and Mayor of Athens Dora Bakoyannis last week made a speech titled "The International Crisis as an Opportunity" at the Sabanci University in Istanbul. Stating that economies of Turkey and the BRIC countries [an acronym referring to countries of Brazil, Russia, India and China] are important in terms of the balance of global economy, Bakoyannis said that Greece was the greater supporter of Turkey in its EU membership bid. "It's wrong to consider the EU as a Christian club. The EU is a club of values and this situation distinguishes it from other unions. Turkey has a dynamic social structure and a strong economy. These are important criteria to join the EU," Bakoyannis added.