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TURKISH, FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTERS AGREE ON MORE DIALOGUE
Today's Zaman, Turkey
Oct 6 2007
The French and Turkish foreign ministers agreed that their countries
have more similarities than differences and that continued dialogue
between the two nations has the potential to improve relations.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan and his guest, French Foreign
Minister and Minister of European Affairs Bernard Kouchner, were
speaking at a press conference Friday during a visit by Kouchner
to Ankara.
Babacan said the French foreign minister was informed that Turkey
does not want to be dragged into discussions about the future of the
EU and awaits the fulfillment of European promises made to it. The
two were set to have a second round of talks in the evening, when,
according to Babacan, they would discuss Turkish and French interests
in other countries, especially the Middle East.
The foreign ministers also spoke about mutual economic and military
relations. During the press conference, Babacan stressed the potential
of mutual economic relations. "Companies opened in Turkey with French
capital numbered 300 in 2006 alone. Turkey is France's fifth largest
export partner among EU countries," the Turkish foreign minister
said. The French foreign minister stressed the importance of the
fact that France has declared 2009 the Year of Turkey. "We have
differences, but we have more in common. We have to speak more and
more sincerely. This visit is the first of a series of visits and
meetings between Turkey and France," Kouchner said.
Kouchner was also scheduled to visit President Abdullah Gul and
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan, where discussions were expected
to focus on issues such as a "committee of wise men" and "privileged
partnership." Babacan informed Kouchner about Turkey's unwillingness to
even discuss the possibility of a status other than full membership
in the European Union. The Turkish side also asked their French
counterparts that a law passed by the French National Assembly
recognizing Armenian claims that World War I events constituted
"genocide" not be brought to the French Senate under any condition.
The French foreign minister claimed in the press conference that
the law will not cause any difficulty between Turkey and France and
that nothing has been decided upon yet. The committee of wise men
France is proposing is supposed to discuss the future strategies and
boundaries of the EU. France also asks that this committee work on
the Mediterranean Union that France wants to see Turkey a part of.
In a recent statement to Agence France-Presse, the French foreign
minister said his country seeks closer ties with Turkey despite
differences over the EU. In an interview with the Milliyet newspaper,
Kouchner said that France recently went through a difficult period in
its relations with Turkey and that his visit should be regarded as a
symbol of a mutual desire to give a strong new impetus to relations
between the two. Kouchner is the first high-level French official to
visit Ankara since Nicolas Sarkozy, a staunch opponent of Turkey's EU
accession, was elected president in May. Sarkozy has repeatedly said
Turkey does not belong in the EU, arguing that it is geographically
in Asia. He has instead proposed a close EU partnership agreement
instead. He recently appeared to have softened his stance, however,
saying France would not block Turkey's membership talks. French
Foreign Minister Kouchner is known to be even more sympathetic to
the idea of Turkey's membership in the EU.
--Boundary_(ID_qMu8snqfufh2sGsq7d6s2Q)--
Today's Zaman, Turkey
Oct 6 2007
The French and Turkish foreign ministers agreed that their countries
have more similarities than differences and that continued dialogue
between the two nations has the potential to improve relations.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan and his guest, French Foreign
Minister and Minister of European Affairs Bernard Kouchner, were
speaking at a press conference Friday during a visit by Kouchner
to Ankara.
Babacan said the French foreign minister was informed that Turkey
does not want to be dragged into discussions about the future of the
EU and awaits the fulfillment of European promises made to it. The
two were set to have a second round of talks in the evening, when,
according to Babacan, they would discuss Turkish and French interests
in other countries, especially the Middle East.
The foreign ministers also spoke about mutual economic and military
relations. During the press conference, Babacan stressed the potential
of mutual economic relations. "Companies opened in Turkey with French
capital numbered 300 in 2006 alone. Turkey is France's fifth largest
export partner among EU countries," the Turkish foreign minister
said. The French foreign minister stressed the importance of the
fact that France has declared 2009 the Year of Turkey. "We have
differences, but we have more in common. We have to speak more and
more sincerely. This visit is the first of a series of visits and
meetings between Turkey and France," Kouchner said.
Kouchner was also scheduled to visit President Abdullah Gul and
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan, where discussions were expected
to focus on issues such as a "committee of wise men" and "privileged
partnership." Babacan informed Kouchner about Turkey's unwillingness to
even discuss the possibility of a status other than full membership
in the European Union. The Turkish side also asked their French
counterparts that a law passed by the French National Assembly
recognizing Armenian claims that World War I events constituted
"genocide" not be brought to the French Senate under any condition.
The French foreign minister claimed in the press conference that
the law will not cause any difficulty between Turkey and France and
that nothing has been decided upon yet. The committee of wise men
France is proposing is supposed to discuss the future strategies and
boundaries of the EU. France also asks that this committee work on
the Mediterranean Union that France wants to see Turkey a part of.
In a recent statement to Agence France-Presse, the French foreign
minister said his country seeks closer ties with Turkey despite
differences over the EU. In an interview with the Milliyet newspaper,
Kouchner said that France recently went through a difficult period in
its relations with Turkey and that his visit should be regarded as a
symbol of a mutual desire to give a strong new impetus to relations
between the two. Kouchner is the first high-level French official to
visit Ankara since Nicolas Sarkozy, a staunch opponent of Turkey's EU
accession, was elected president in May. Sarkozy has repeatedly said
Turkey does not belong in the EU, arguing that it is geographically
in Asia. He has instead proposed a close EU partnership agreement
instead. He recently appeared to have softened his stance, however,
saying France would not block Turkey's membership talks. French
Foreign Minister Kouchner is known to be even more sympathetic to
the idea of Turkey's membership in the EU.
--Boundary_(ID_qMu8snqfufh2sGsq7d6s2Q)--