Gul: Turkey should be given the chance to complete its EU negotiation process

Turkey would respect an eventual decision by EU countries to deny Turkey's full membership after the completion of accession talks, President Abdullah Gul said yesterday. "If Turkey is a burden to the union, then Turkey cannot be a member of the EU, but for the time being, we do not have any intention to give up our strategic orientation," Gul told a press conference in Berlin with his German counterpart Christian Wulff, referring to eventual referendums on Turkey's accession. Gul said Turkey is currently busy carrying out reforms and should be given a chance to complete its negotiation process first. Prior to the press conference, Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek  and his German counterpart Wolfgang Schaeuble signed an agreement on the prevention of double taxation. As part of the agreement, Turkish immigrants who return to Turkey after retirement will not pay taxes to Germany, in case their annual income doesn't surpass 10,000 euros.