EGEMEN BAGIS VISITS BRUSSELS

Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis went to Brussels to pay official visits.

Participating in the opening ceremony of Anadolu Agency’s Brussels Office, Minister Bagis expressed that Anadolu Agency played an important role in announcing the reforms and the positive developments in Turkey to the world during EU negotiation process and announcing the developments in the world to Turkish people.

The Minister also participated in the lunch held on the occasion of the inauguration of MÜSİAD’s (Independent Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association) Brussels Office. Delivering a speech at the lunch, Minister Bagis said that MÜSİAD’s opening an office in the heart of Europe demonstrates that Turkey is an integral part of the EU.

Egemen Bagis met with Stefan Füle, European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy, on the same day. At the meeting developments realised within the framework of the Chapters and Turkey’s 2013 Progress Report were addressed and Stefan Füle underlined the continuity of the reforms in Turkey and importance of EU’s being taken as a reference in these reforms.

Minister Bagis also met with Elmar Brok, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament and Neven Mimica, European Commissioner for Consumer Protection.

Minister Bagis held a press meeting at Turkey’s Permanent Delegation to the EU and said, “We have raised objections on the publication date of the Progress Report. They will publish it on 16 October. This date coincides with the second day of Eid-el-adha and we have conveyed the EU that we feel disturbed. We have underlined that we will perceive this act as insensitiveness, yet disrespect in terms of our national values, they would also feel disturbed if a comprehensive report published during Christmas time.

Expressing that he had once again brought up Turkey’s demand on being invited to the EU Summits together with other negotiating countries in a round table meeting to which he had participated with Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council and during his other visits in Brussels, Minister Bagis said, “The EU has held 12 summits with Russia, six with the USA, China and Japan, five with India and South Africa, four with Canada, Brazil and Ukraine and only one with the candidate countries in the last 10 years. I have underlined the fact that Europe which is experiencing an economic crisis, ignores the vast potential just very near to it, its future members, is a serious mistake. I hope these figures will be effective in Europe’s overcoming its eclipse of reason.”

Minister Bagis stated that Turkey’s just demands such as carrying out fair accession negotiations, introducing visa exemption for Turkish citizens and ensuring full cooperation in the fight against terrorism would be voiced by them at the highest level if Turkey were invited to the EU Summits.

Minister Bagis said that 22nd Chapter on Regional Policies was planned to be actually opened to negotiations on 5th of November as decided by the EU Member States before.

On the last day of his visits in Brussels Minister Bagis met with the members of Friends of Turkey in the European Parliament and also met with the representatives of non-governmental organisations.