Renewing determination for accession, Erdogan complains of EU stance

Speaking to Kriter magazine over the weekend, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed the government's determination to pursue Turkey's European Union accession bid despite all obstacles. Stressing that accession is a strategic goal for Turkey, Erdogan complained about what he called "discouraging" acts and statements by certain EU countries on Turkey's aspiration to join the 27-member bloc. "The government's will to reach the EU accession goal is clear,” he said. “Since Turkey's first application to join the EU in 1959, most tangible steps towards that end have been taken by our government, which has shown the most resolute stance to carry out EU reforms in its seven years in office. Our sincerity on the country's aspirations to become a full EU member has been seen in a concrete and clear way during this time." Stating that Ankara expects to see the same sincerity and excitement from the EU, Erdogan added, "Turkey’s accession will make the EU a global actor. Turkey holds the keys to solve a number of problems facing the Union. Beyond this, Turkey becoming a full EU member also poses a historic opportunity in terms of the Alliance of Civilizations initiative. EU member countries must primarily consider these parameters when evaluating Turkey's EU accession bid." Stressing that Turkey's EU accession is a process which is moving forward based on the expectations of the Turkish nation and its strong belief in the EU goal, Erdogan also said, "Reforms made as part of this process are not just for the purpose of fulfilling EU accession criteria but rather towards raising the living standards of the nation in all areas. No matter what happens at the end of this process, the government will continue its determined work to boost the nation’s living standards."