Hungarian FM: "Turkey's membership will put the EU in a much better position"

Turkey is a rising world power, and European Union countries wary of it must decide if they want Turkey inside the EU or out of it, according to Hungarian Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi, whose country assumed the EU'S rotating presidency on Jan. 1. "I think a Turkey inside EU is in Europe's interest," he told Sabah in an interview published today. "This would be much better for Europe. I can promise personally and on behalf of my country that we will always stand with you." He added, "Alongside Turkey, which is a rising power, the EU will get a much better position in the global arena. Of course if it doesn't gain membership, it would be quite normal to Turkey to exercise other options." On Turkey's stalled membership talks, Martonyi said: "We will make great efforts to speed up the process. We're planning to soon open the chapter on competition. But I can't give you a date." On Turkey's foreign policy, he said, "Just from reading the newspaper, you can tell that Turkey has one of the world's most active foreign policies."