EGEMEN BAGIS VISITS VAN, ALONG WITH THE AMBASSADORS OF EU MEMBER STATES

Visiting Van, along with the ambassadors of EU member states and their spouses, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis first attended the meeting at EU Information Centre at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce within the scope of his contacts there.

Delivering a speech at the meeting and indicating that it was a different day for Van and Turkey, Bagis stated that the ambassadors of the EU member states came for the first time to a city in the east of Turkey along with a minister of the Turkish Republic and the Secretary General for EU Affairs.

Egemen Bagis noted that important activities were planned within the scope of the festivals to be held there and that there was a concert programme they were going to attend together with the ambassadors at the end of the day but that programme was cancelled after consultation with the ambassadors.

Bagis said:

"No matter how much they wish to make this country poor, victimize the people of this country, create divisions in this country, we will continue to work in order to become a country at the EU standards. We will continue to do whatever is needed to ensure that Turkey develops, all our citizens live together more peacefully in brighter futures and wealth, richness, peace and brotherhood come to this region. We will continue to do so with both our social and cultural policies and communication projects and when it is necessary with our military and security projects for those who don't speak the same language. However, we will be able to make a distinction between the innocent and the guilty. No one should ever think that they could make discrimination among the citizens and brothers living on the soil of this country. I express my gratitude to the ambassadors for sharing this sensitivity of ours."

After the meeting, Minister for EU Affairs Bagis and delegation accompanying him met the representatives of the non-governmental organisations. Minister for EU Affairs Bagis presented the sportspersons who came in the first place in the off-shore competitions which were held within the scope Van ‘Sea' Water Sports Festivals with awards.

Egemen Bagis said that the activities held within the scope of "Fakiye Teyran Cultural Festival" in Bahcesaray province were also cancelled. The ambassadors of 15 EU member states and 7 embassy officers visiting Van in order to attend the activities attended the ceremony held for 11 soldiers who were martyred in the terrorist attack in Semdinli province of Hakkari.

Source: AA