Turkish-German CEO forum held in Berlin

Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan yesterday said that Turkey's EU membership bid should be considered from the perspective of long-term interests. Speaking at the Turkish-German CEO Forum jointly organized by the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) and German Industrialists' Federation (BDI) in Berlin, Babacan said that the world now needed a strong Europe more than ever and that an EU incorporating Turkey would be able to spread such values as democracy and human rights to the world more quickly. Bagis stressed that the trade volume between Turkey and Germany surpassed 30 billion American dollars, adding, "Germany is the most important trade partner to Turkey. There are 4,688 German companies operating in Turkey with an investment volume totaling 4.6 billion American dollars. The cooperation between Germany, the fifth largest economy in the world, and Turkey which ranks the 16th in the same category could be intensified. A political climate should be prepared towards this end."