In Davos, Erdogan reiterates commitment to EY accession goal

Turkey's European Union accession talks have not slowed down, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared yesterday. Speaking at a panel on Central Asia at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Erdogan said that talks with the Union towards full membership are continuing and Ankara recently appointed a state minister devoted exclusively to Turkish-EU relations. Erdogan said Turkey would further improve its ties with the EU and focus more on its accession talks. Also attending the panel were Azeri President Ilham Aliyev, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, and Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian. Touching on Turkey's problems with Armenia, Erdogan said both countries should take bold steps to boost stability in the region. Stating that the biggest challenge is the Armenian diaspora, Erdogan said Turkey wants to normalize its relations with Armenia as soon as possible.