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ANKARA: Turkey Expected To Amend Constitution After Local Polls: Bag

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  • ANKARA: Turkey Expected To Amend Constitution After Local Polls: Bag

    TURKEY EXPECTED TO AMEND CONSTITUTION AFTER LOCAL POLLS: BAGIS

    www.worldbulletin.net
    March 4 2009
    Turkey

    Turkis chief negotiatior for EU talks said that necessary changes
    would be made by evaluating that 2.5-year period after local elections
    were held.

    Turkish State Minister & Chief Negotiator for EU talks Egemen Bagis
    said on Wednesday that Turkey, with its current Constitution, could
    not be a member of the EU.

    "I hope we will amend the Constitution with the support of opposition
    parties after local elections," added Bagis who addressed a panel
    discussion on "Treaty of Lisbon and Turkey's Accession Process to EU"
    at Fatih University in Istanbul.

    Reminding that Treaty of Lisbon was signed on December 13, 2007 but
    approval process was hitched by the referendum in Ireland, Bagis
    said that Turkey needed the approval of 27 EU-member states to open
    chapters in membership negotiations with the EU. He added that when
    Lisbon Treaty was approved, decision-making process in the EU would
    function faster.

    Bagis said that Turkey was currently in local election process and
    Parliament could not work thus, many legal arrangements could not be
    made. He said that they aimed to make legal arrangements especially
    Trade Law with the support of opposition parties after the local
    elections.

    Noting that Europe had a serious energy shortage, Bagis said that
    Turkey was the critical country in Nabucco Project which would meet
    Europe's energy demand. Bagis added that energy chapter heading could
    not be opened in EU negotiations because Greek Cypriot administration
    rejected.

    When a participant asked whether Turkey would cooperate with Armenia in
    energy issue, Bagis said that Turkey was exerting efforts to make its
    relations with Armenia well, but the relations had not yet reached to a
    level to cooperate in energy area. He added that Turkey showed goodwill
    to Armenia many times, and Armenia should show its goodwill too.

    Upon a question whether Turkey could be an EU-member with the current
    Constitution, Bagis said, "Turkey, with its current Constitution,
    cannot be a member of the EU. I hope we will amend the Constitution
    with the support of opposition parties after local elections are held."

    Expressing belief that Turkey would have a contemporary Constitution,
    Bagis said that there would not be an election for the next 2.5 years
    after the local elections were held, and necessary changes would be
    made by evaluating that 2.5-year period.
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