TIME FOR CREATIVE SOLUTIONS

Participating in the 48th General Council of Economic Development Foundation (IKV), Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis started his speech by condemning the terrorist attacks. Stating that it was time to seek creative solutions for fighting against terrorism, he noted that since the early 1980s different methods were used for the treatment of that disease and added that from now on more creative methods would be used.

Expressing that Turkey's EU accession process constituted an important platform for the fight against that disease, Bagis said that terrorist organizations benefited from the poverty, ignorance, and deficiencies of people. Bagis said, "We have to increase our people's freedom and we will give answer to terrorists in their own language."

Bagis indicated that in Van where ambassadors of EU member states went for carnival, they witnessed how happiness turned into sorrow.

Also mentioning the visa issue, Egemen Bagis reminded that in the last 8 years Turkey's visa implementation with 22 countries was removed and he also noted that Turkey had to remove the visa implementation with the EU countries.

Indicating that they were making efforts on that issue, Bagis said, "We don't accept the visa facilitation that EU gives us. We want the visa exemption."

Stating that today EU played a key role for solving some problems of Turkey, Bagis said: "But Turkey plays a more important role in solving the problems of EU."

Stating that as Turkey aware of its power, others would also become aware of Turkey's power, Egemen Bagis said, "We will take the biggest step that should be taken during this period, on 12 September morning all together. History will repeat itself. Hopefully, 12 September which is an irony day in our history will be a celebration day thereafter."

Source: AA