29th TURKEY-EU JOINT ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING

Delivering an opening speech at the 29th Turkey-EU joint advisory committee meeting held in Istanbul, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis assessed Turkey’s EU process.

Bagis said that since they attach a great importance to these meetings, with the intention of reviewing Turkey’s EU process, they have been holding meetings with the non-governmental organizations for the last three years. He added: “I believe that in respect to Turkey-EU relations, non-governmental organizations are as important as the government and the Assembly.”

Bagis said that the “Arab spring” was mentioned more than the EU these days, and added: “Actually this is a process of democratization and reforms, and a process to guide the wind of democracy. Our Prime Minister’s popularity in Egypt and Tunisia is an outcome of the respect for our decisive steps on the path of democracy, and for our determination in EU reforms.”

Indicating that the visa issue was addressed in every meeting held with the Europeans, Bagis said they believed the unreasonable visa requirements with the EU states would be lifted, just as visas with 65 countries were lifted.

Bagis said they always emphasized the need for a fair and constructive solution in Cyprus and that they always supported the talks between Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and Greek Cypriots over the past decade and would continue to support a solution based on political equality, which all the people of the island would agree on.