MESSAGE OF THANKS TO CZECH REPUBLIC

Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis paid an official visit to Prague together with a delegation including Oguz Demialp, the Secretary General for EU Affairs.

Bagis, within the framework of his official contacts, held talks with the deputy Prime Minister Tomas Pojar, Deputy Prime Minister for EU Affairs Alexander Vondra, Prime Minister Miroslav Topolanek and Minister of Foreign Affairs Karel Schwarzenberg.

Indicating that they had discussed the approach of Czech Republic, as the Rotating President, to Turkey's EU membership process, Bagis said:

"I am happy to say that the support of Czech Republic for Turkey's membership to the EU continues. They are determined to take important steps in order to continue this process during their presidency. In addition to our talks on the chapters considered to be opened in this period we exchanged views on issues such as global economic problems, foreign policy issues regarding EU and energy security.

I observed that they are making sincere and serious efforts to provide a progress in the negotiations. We, as Turkey, are doing our best to continue the negotiations with the same sincerity."

Stating that they discussed the Union for the Mediterranean issue under Czech presidency, Bagis said he had expressed Turkey's sensitivity about the issue.

Bagis made a contact with the Czech MEP Jan Zaharadil and thanked him for his contribution to the preparation of the report on Turkey voted in the European Parliament.

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