PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS AND AGENCIES MET TO DISCUSS TURKEY'S DRAFT COMMUNICATION STRATEGY FOR THE EU

Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis met with the representatives of public institutions and bodies to discuss Turkey's Draft Communication Strategy for the EU and to receive their opinions and comments.

Speaking at the opening of the meeting which was held at the office of the Secretariat General for EU Affairs (SGEU), Bagis stated that they organised this meeting to discuss and evaluate Turkey's communication with the EU.

Indicating that a Directorate of Civil Society, Communication and Culture was established in the SGEU, that it was mandated by the law and that it started its work, Bagis said that Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassadors to EU countries and institutions such as Permanent Representation in Brussels had also contributed to the Draft Strategy.

Noting that the government adopted the EU Communication Strategy the day before, Bagis stated that draft which was prepared in that context would be finalized after meetings with various groups of the society and that the EU Communication Strategy was intended not only for the EU countries but also for the communication inside the country.

Bagis noted that the citizens needed to know the EU and the EU needed to be better known in Turkey. Bagis added that the societies of the EU countries on the other hand needed to understand that Turkey would join the EU in order not to be a burden on it but to relieve it of its burden and in order to be a part of the solution not a part of the problem.

Faruk Kaymakci, the Director of Civil Society, Communication and Culture at SGEU, also gave information about Turkey's Draft Communication Strategy for the EU. After the speeches, the participating representatives of public institutions and agencies made their comments and presented their proposals with regard to Turkey's Draft Communication Strategy for the EU.

Officials from relevant units of EU Harmonization Committee of the Turkish Parliament, General Secretariat for the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey, Prime Ministry, State Ministries, Ministry of National Defence, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of National Education, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Culture and Tourism and representatives of Higher Education Council, State Planning Organisation, Undersecretariat for Foreign Trade, Radio and Television Supreme Council, Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, Directorate General on the Status of Women, General Directorate of Youth and Sports, Radio-Television Authority of Turkey, Anatolian Agency, Directorate General of Press and Information, Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Agency, Turkish Airlines, Presidency of Religious Affairs, Central Finance and Contracts Unit, Prime Ministry Investment Support and Promotion Agency participated in the meeting.

Source: AA