EGEMEN BAGIS DELIVERS A SPEECH IN THE ISTANBUL WORLD FORUM

Delivering a speech at “Confronting the 20th Century and A Just Future” session in the Istanbul World Forum organized in İstanbul Congress Center, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis indicated that Turkey’s role in the region was a fact that was approved by everyone. 

Emphasizing the importance of justice in Turkey’s culture and in Islam, Bagis said: “Since we feel ourselves closer to the understanding ‘justice is the foundation of the state”, and since in our religion the understanding ‘Favour, kindness and helping each other are ordered; impudence and mischief are forbidden’ reigns, then we should further tackle the issue of justice.”

Emphasizing the fact that one should take into consideration the sense of justice not only when his/hers is violated but also when others’ are violated as well, Bagis said the following:

“Turkey should not be the only country to achieve this. All the countries, societies and leaders should participate in achieving this aim. Turkey had been the first country to state that Mubarak should leave his office. Likewise, it was the Prime Minister of Turkey who stated that Qaddafi should leave his office. It is something privileged to be the first to oppose to the understanding which does not avoid bombing its own citizens, own cities and which does not avoid giving any kind of harm to its citizens. But, we shouldn’t be the only one to react all these. There should be some other reactions from other countries as well.

Touching upon the issue that EU was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, Bagis said: “EU is maybe the most comprehensive peace project throughout the history. It is an important peace project which enabled the English, the French, the Dutch, and the Belgians who waged war against each other for centuries to live in peace. Despite this achievement, EU is still a continental project. Turkey’s EU accession process is the one which will transform the EU project into a global one. “

Minister Bagis answered the questions of the members of the press after the program he participated in at the Istanbul Congress Centre. In response to Alain Lamassoure, The French MEP who chairs the European Parliament's Budget Committee, who said ‘the issue regarding the borders of the EU has come to a conclusion. The Turkish issue is no more on the agenda due to the fact that neither Turkish people, nor the Europeans want to become partners.’ Bagis said the following:

“To close the subject is the easiest way, but to open a new page is not that easy. It is even worst to bring forward the past events. Those who want to close the issue had better realize these facts before it is too late. It is beyond measure to evaluate Turkey’s EU accession process as a Turkish problem for the EU. It would be more accurate for those who think so to define the matter as a problem of the mind, but not a Turkish problem. Those who are sensible enough see it clearly that, there is nothing such as Turkish problem for the EU, but there exists the opportunity for EU in the event of Turkey’s accession to the EU.”

Source: AA