Gul tells EU not to build a new Berlin wall

President Abdullah Gul yesterday welcomed his Italian counterpart Giorgio Napolitano to Ankara with an official ceremony at the Cankaya Presidential Palace. The welcoming ceremony was also attended by Parliament Speaker Mehmet Ali Sahin and Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz. Speaking at a joint press conference after meeting with Napolitano, Gul called on the European Union to keep its membership promises to Turkey. Urging EU leaders to honor their decision nearly five years ago to open Turkey's full membership negotiations, Gul said, "There is no legal basis for creating problems out of the blue now. Europe destroyed the Berlin Wall 20 years ago. Will it now build new Berlin Walls? This is a clear lack of vision." Stating that the 2004 decision to start membership talks was "no joke," Gul said, "After lengthy debate, there was a unanimous decision to open the talks. Honoring promises is a main principle of law, and it is binding on all." Saying Turkey's eventual accession into the EU would bring "added value" to the 27-nation bloc, Napolitano echoed Gul by stressing pacta sunt servanda, a principle of international law meaning that agreements must be kept. "In the past, many people either said yes or no, thus declaring their positions," he added. "After years of debate, we should accept that the 2004 decision was a deserved one. We cannot see it as superficial. From now on, we should embrace the principle of pacta sunt servanda and pursue it." French and German leaders have stated their opposition to Turkish membership, calling instead for a "privileged partnership," a formula Turkey categorically rejects. Touching on Turkey's economic and trade ties with Italy, Gul said their bilateral trade volume totals €13 billion, making Italy Turkey's third-largest trading partner after Russia and Germany. He said nearly 700 Italian companies operate in Turkey, and firms from both countries are working on major joint projects. Gul said there is ever-increasing cooperation between the two countries in the area of energy, adding that both countries place great importance on strengthening this. Napolitano yesterday also held talks in Parliament and met with Sahin, and attended a dinner hosted by Gul in his honor at the Presidential Palace.