BAGIS MET EU AMBASSADORS

Minister for EU Affairs, Egemen Bagis said that entire Turkish nation, with its the government and the opposition, with the young and the old, locked onto the target of full EU membership and this was not only their project but also the project for children and their future.

Bagis, came together with the ambassadors of EU member states in Ankara for a business dinner at the Embassy of Czech Republic.

Bagis, in his statement before dinner, told that they would confirm steps to be taken by Turkey in order to achieve its goal of full membership in the forthcoming period, and the determination of EU Member States to integrate with Turkey.

Bagis reminded that they, together with Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, visited Brussels after his appointment as the chief negotiator and stated that Jose Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission, being in the first place, all of the authorities clearly revealed that they were standing behind Turkey's goal of full membership.

Bagis stated that the Prime Minister displayed the determination of Turkey by allocating three hours to this issue in the first Cabinet meeting and he added that:

"Considering the developments in Turkey as the release of Turkish National Programme, launch of TRT-6, restoring the citizenship of Nazim Hikmet, appointment of a minister in charge of EU negotiations who will only focus on this issue, visit of our Prime Minister to Brussels and steps to be taken within the forthcoming period, as commented by our esteemed Prime Minister, we all see that entire Turkish nation locked on its target of full membership with its government and the opposition, the young and the old, the east and the west, the civilian and the military.

As I always say: This is not only our project, but also the project for our children, the project of our future. We expect the support of all. We want to cooperate with everybody. We expect to reach this target at all hands."

Bagis thanked to H.E. Eva Filipi, the Czech Republic's, - currently the country presiding the EU- Ambassador to Ankara, for the friendliness they displayed since the beginning of their Presidency.