POST-REFERENDUM EU PROCESS

Visiting Budapest upon a formal invitation by the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs János Martonyi, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis delivered a conference on "The EU accession process in the aftermath of the referendum" at the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs.

In his speech, Bagis stated that Hungary clearly supported Turkey's EU accession process and added that some political figures in the EU tried to obstruct Turkey's accession negotiations due to their internal policy objectives.

Minister Bagis defined Turkey's demands from the EU and said that Turkey wanted a fair negotiation process, efficient cooperation and support in fight against terrorism, fair visa requirements, and wanted Cyprus issue stop being an obstruct in the negotiations and Cyprus to be invited in the meetings of the European Council. Bagis stated that the EU was a peace project, which would be completed with Turkey's accession.

Bagis indicated that Turkey's good relations with its neighbors didn't mean that it relinquished from its EU bid.

Meeting with Hungarian President Pal Schmitt and Foreign Minister Janos Martony, Bagis also met with Hungarian deputies.

Bagis asked the Hungarian deputies to support Turkey in its EU bid during Hungary's rotating EU Presidency that would start in 2011.

Source: AA