Turkey’s foreign minister said on Wednesday that the aim of more diplomacy and a compromising attitude was to ensure a peaceful region around Turkey.
Davutoglu met members of the Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance in the European Parliament over breakfast at Istanbul’s Hilton Hotel, and said the aim of more diplomacy and compromise was to ensure a peaceful region around Turkey.
“It does not aim to turn one’s face to the east,” Davutoglu said during the meeting.
Davutoglu said the Group of the Greens was a strong bridge between Turkey and the European Union (EU), and Turkey had always appreciated the group’s stance towards Turkey’s EU membership bid.
Turkey was in a democratic transformation process, which was not only an issue concerning Turkey’s domestic affairs but also an issue directly linked with EU membership bid, he said.
Davutoglu said the Turkish government had been carrying out a democratic transformation process for eight years, and defined the democratization as one focused on freedom not security as during the Cold War Era.
The minister said the last step of the democratization process was the constitutional reform, and Turkey had a strong political will to make a better constitutional reform.
Davutoglu said Turkey was pursuing a consistent foreign policy in line with its democratic transformation, and Turkey had perfect relations with its neighbors.
“Turkey’s foreign policy is in harmony with EU’s goals and values,” Davutoglu also said.
Turkey became an EU candidate country in December 1999. The union launched accession talks with Turkey on October 3, 2005. The EU has so far opened 13 of the 35 chapter headings to negotiations with Turkey.
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