3RD TURKISH-ITALIAN FORUM MET IN ROME

Egemen Bagis, Prime Ministers Foreign Policy Advisor and Member of the Parliament attended as a speaker to the 3rd Turkish-Italian Forum entitled "Joint European Union Vision in the 150th Anniversary of Turkish-Italian Relations". Bagis delivered the closing comments (with Italian Geopolitics magazine chief editor Mr. Lucio Carracciolo) of the Forum which the keynote speakers were Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Abdullah Gul and Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Massimo D'Alema.

In his speech, Mr. Bagis noted that having a 150 year old history in politics, commerce and cultural relations, Italy and Turkey today are two partners, friend and ally countries. Stressing the importance of Forums such as the Turkish-Italian Forum noted a recent Venice-Istanbul exhibition organized at the Istanbul Modern Museum. Bagis also reminded that perhaps is the first expansion of Turkey to the west is a portrait ordered to Italian painter Bellini by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror. Commenting that no empire was absolute throughout history, and that conflicts would end at some point and leave its place to cooperation, sharing and harmony, and that the European history proved this fact, Bagis went on to point out that Sole-Christian Empires in history were never long lasting and that the approach of France and Germany viewing the EU as a Christian Club was not realistic. Noting that Turkey is in Europe and that Italy and Turkey understand each other, added that in the EU accession period the friendship and support of Italy is expected by Turkey.