MALTA SUPPORTS TURKEY’S EU ACCESSION PROCESS

Visiting Malta in order to seek support for visa exemption negotiations within the context of “Positive Agenda” process, which was initiated with a view to providing a new impetus to the Turkey-EU relations, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis held a series of official talks in the capital city Valetta.

Within the scope of his visit, Bagis first met with Tonio Borg, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malta. During the meeting which was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, bilateral relations between Turkey and Malta, Turkey’s EU membership process, visa issue and regional developments were discussed.

Egemen Bagis also met with Lawrence Gonzi, Prime Minister of Malta within the scope of his visit programme in Malta. During the meeting, Gonzi reiterated that they attached importance to Turkey’s EU membership and that their support on this issue would continue.

Having also meetings with Michael Frendo, Speaker of the House of Representatives and the member deputies of Foreign and European Affairs Committee of the Maltese Parliament, Bagis afterwards delivered a speech at the conference titled "Creating a Common Future: Need for a Visionary Europe" at the University of Malta.

Indicating in his speech that Turkey was a full member of all European organizations except for the EU, Bagis said, “We take part in UEFA, the Eurovision Song Contest, European Investment Bank and various European security and defence projects, thus we should also take part in the EU. We shared a common past and I believe that we will share a common future as well.” Bagis also noted that Cyprus issue was not a precondition for full membership to the EU.

Source: AA, İHA