FOREIGN TRADE OF TURKEY IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TRUMP CARDS IN THE CONVERGENCE PROCESS WITH THE EU

Attending the working dinner held by Foreign Trade Association of Turkey (TURKTRADE) at the Marmara Hotel, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis stated that foreign trade of Turkey became one of the most important trump cards in the process of bringing Turkey closer to the EU.

Speaking about the things achieved following the start of accession negotiations with the EU, Bagis said: "Foreign trade of Turkey has started to become one of our most important trump cards in the process of bringing Turkey closer to the EU. Turkey will get nowhere in the EU process without making progress in the foreign trade."

Bagis stated that in terms of its interests Turkey's membership to the EU reached a point from which there was no return and Turkey was also in the EU's interests. Indicating that the process was founded on a mutual ‘win-win' platform, Bagis pointed out that foreign trade was the most significant issue at this point.

Noting that the foreign trade of Turkey increased at a rate of 350 percent in the last seven and a half years, Bagis stated that Turkey's economic situation was closely observed by Europe which experienced the most important economic turmoil of the last century.

Stating that Turkey started to attach importance to the Baltic States in the EU process, Egemen Bagis said that investment must be made in countries such as Estonia and Lithuania, since these countries had the same say on the votes as other big countries.

Indicating that Turkey's foreign policy was multidimensional and this meant not a shift in axis but strengthening the hand of Turkey, Bagis stated that the fact that relations with Russia reached such an advanced point that visas were removed showed the power of Turkey.

Referring to the economic indicators of Turkey, Bagis reminded that per capita income rose from three thousand dollars to ten thousand dollars.

The working dinner was attended by Secretary General for EU Affairs Ambassador Volkan Bozkir, Head of the Association Vedat Aydin and members of the Association.

Source: AA