BAGIS VISITS BRUSSELS
Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis met Andris Piebalgs, Member of the European Commission Responsible for Energy, within the framework of his Brussels contacts.
Responding the questions of the journalists after the meeting, Bagis said, "Allegation that we agreed to put the management of the Tigris and the Euphrates under international control in order for the environment chapter to be opened in the EU accession negotiations is just a figment of imagination." Egemen Bagis noted that ‘there wasn't such an issue, let alone such a statement' in the negotiation position paper on the environment chapter which Turkey submitted to the EU side on 13 November 2009.
Upon being asked how the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty would affect the enlargement, Bagis said, "This is an important development for Turkey, it is encouraging. Because it ended the uncertainties within the EU, decision-making mechanisms were a little more relieved. Thus EU's ability to see what the future holds for it has improved. It was not possible for the EU to focus on enlargement unless it could foresee the future."
Bagis also met Olli Rehn, Member of the European Commission Responsible for Enlargement within the framework of his Brussels contacts and congratulated Rehn on his appointment as Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs in his second term in the European Commission. Finnish Liberal Rehn also stated that he would continue to work closely with Turkey in his new appointment.
After the meeting, Bagis addressed Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament (EP) and answered the questions of the deputies. Bagis indicated that the EU could overcome the basic issues such as energy safety, fight against terrorism, prevention of illegal immigration, fight against human and drug trafficking, peaceful settlement of international disputes, strengthening of democracy and human rights more easily in cooperation with Turkey, and demanded support for Turkey's membership to the EU.
Source: AA
